Harry Potter: A Marauder's Tale
by LynxGirl90
Summary: It's been 17 years since the war ended and Harry has well settled in with Ginny, Ron and Hermione at The Burrow. However, the past decides to catch up with him when he finds Sirius Black's diary in the attic. The diary hints at revealing everything that happened in Black's life until his imprisonment: all the dirty, dark secrets. SB/OC, JP/LE, RL/OC
1. Book One: The Diary

**Title:** Sirius Black: The Real Hero  
 **Author:** Shil1130  
 **Rating:** M for Explicit Language and Adult Themes  
 **Summary:** It's been 17 years since the Battle of Hogwarts and Harry has well settled in with Ginny, Ron and Hermione and the rest of the family in The Burrow. However, the past decides to catch up with him when he finds Sirius Black's diary in the attic of The Burrow. The diary hints at revealing everything that happened in Black's life until his imprisonment.  
 **Disclaimer:** All characters and themes belong to JK Rowling  
 **Central Characters:** Sirius Black, Isabella Williams (OC), James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger

 **A/N:** It's my first time writing... Well, a fanfic atleast. Hence, would love it if I got some reviews for this piece here.. :) Hope everyone enjoys this story!

* * *

~oOo~ **BOOK ONE** ~oOo~

A Marauder's Tale...

* * *

 **Chapter 1:** The Diary—17 Years Later…

* * *

It was the first month of autumn in Devon, England, and Harry was strolling through the fields, feeling uncertain of the old, leather-bound book that he clutched tightly in his right hand. He was aware of the lump that was rising in his throat. He had been feeling slightly numb ever since he stumbled upon the diary this morning while cleaning out his trunk that was tucked away in the attic of The Burrow.

At first, it looked very much like the diary that was "accidentally" passed on to Ginny in Diagon Alley more than 13 years ago.

oOo- **_2 hours ago_** -oOo

"Well, Voldy couldn't have POSSIBLY had a daughter who could be after your life now, mate," quipped Ron, who had been looking at the black, battered, yellowing, leather-bound diary over Harry's shoulder. "I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't have the necessary _resources_ to do be _able…_ to do what needs to be done for something like that now, would he…" trailed off Ron, as he guffawed the last bit of his sentence. Harry almost snorted at the thought and nudged Ron into silence as he heard his wife stomping up the stairs to check up on the boys.

"I thought you boys would be FINISHED with the attic by now! Not been playing with _Mokes_ the whole time now, have we?" said Ginny Weasley, with a hint of accusation in her tone while sporting a scowl on her face.

"Would you relax, you're starting to sound a lot like Mum, _Ginevra_!" retorted Ron, and gave a side-long glance at Harry who was pretending to be clearing a large box, yet managing to give Ron a 'oh-get-off-me-that's-my-wife-she-would-kill-me-if-I-don't-pretend-at-least' look, making Ron chuckle at his best friend/ brother-in-law's plight.

"Would you stop CALLING me that? I'm still your sister, you know?" said Ginny, with a smile curling up on her face and going slightly red in her ears. Ron had deliberately resorted to calling Ginny by her full name every time she behaved like a bad version of Filch which made her crankier and stop right away. Harry loved watching the two of them go at each other like nothing's changed; like they were still little kids who went to Hogwarts, without a care in the world.

"Honey, we'll get this done before dinner, _po-oooo-sitively_ " said Harry as he kissed Ginny on the cheek, reassuring her that he was not going to let Ron talk him into ditching the attic and playing 'Let's Duel' (as Ron would call it).

As soon as Ginny was out of earshot, Harry turned to Ron. "Five more minutes of duelling before we get back to this mess?" asked Harry with a smirk and a mischief playing in his eyes to which Ron replied, "HELL, yeah!" with a broad smile breaking on his face and sent sparks flying towards Harry right away.

Right in the midst of playful duelling was when it caught his eye. Harry motioned towards Ron to stop and took the diary back in his hand which was now propped open. The first page in the diary read, 'THIS BOOK BELONGS TO PADFOOT: My Life At Hogwarts, And After.' Harry's face went numb and, going by the look on his face, Ron joined him as well and raised his eyebrows at the title.

"Blimey, Harry, what in the world is Sirius's diary doing in YOUR trunk?" blurted out Ron, before hushing up. Harry had gone completely still and his eyes kept darting from side to side as if re-reading what was written over and over again would turn it into something else less important. Ron felt apologetic for his friend. Merlin knows just how long it had taken for Harry to get over the loss of friends and family after The Battle of Hogwarts, what with him feeling responsible for the whole bloody thing. In fact, the truth of it all had sunk in on everyone at The Burrow nearly _days_ after Harry had defeated the greatest Dark Wizard of all time. The silence that ensued in the house was worse than death. If losing Fred was the worst thing that Ron had to endure, he knew losing Sirius was an even bigger tragedy for Harry as he was _this_ close to having a "real" family again before it was taken from him. To Ron, it felt like Life was teasing Harry in the most cynical way possible, and he silently prayed that no one should have to go through that in their lives ever.

Right then, a loud bang was heard from the floors below and purple smoke was ensuing up the stairs to the attic. "My god, looks like our kids have literally taken an oath to burn this house down! I'll go deal with them. Will you be okay, Harry?" Ron added.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Ron. Go on then, and tell James, I have thought of ways and means to punish him which would keep him howling like my late aunt Marge, so he better behave," said Harry with a cheerful twinkle in his eyes, feigning composure. Ron gave him a thumbs-up before disappearing down the stairs yelling, "James, Hugo, it better not be polyjuice potion again this time...!"

oOo- **_present_** -oOo

 _Why or how... or… why did I find this after_ all _this time?_ Harry wondered out loud. He was utterly unsure if he would have it in him to read into Sirius's life; this man who was his Godfather, brother and best friend all at the same time. The one person that he could have called as 'family.' He missed his parents dearly, but Sirius had been REAL… alive.

Harry had been so ready to move into Grimmauld Place, so ready to move out of Privet Drive, but, no. Fate had other plans and well… Right now, he had this one opportunity to at least know how his Godfather had lived, know what he had missed. Did Sirius fancy someone back when he was a teenager? Was his father aware of this? What had Sirius thought of Harry when he just a baby? At this thought, Harry fought back tears and looked up at the sky. It was almost night-time. The sky looked a shade of deep purple and little stars shone down on Harry.

"Hey! Harry, my mate!" called out Ron from the kitchen entrance. "You mind wiping that gloom off your face and help out in the kitchen? Our MUMS," he jerked his head towards the kitchen and pointed at Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, "are starting to complain, that we don't wear our _aprons_ as much these days!" to which Hermione responded, "Oh like doing chores is a woman's job, would you cut it out, Ron?" with a playful slap at Ron's butt.

Harry grinned at his friends and ambled back into the house. _I'll read this diary later tonight_ , Harry thought, before calling back, "Hermione, Ron's right you know?" which invited a lot of rolling-of-the-eyes from the ladies.


	2. One of Four Ways

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the Queen. I do not own a thing. Happy reading! And reviewers (KiwiinLondon), thanks a lot. Really Motivates me to keep going! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:** Hogwarts Back in 1971

* * *

Harry finally made his way up to his room after having tucked his youngest in bed, promising to get her a spinning orb with swirling stars and dancing princesses, IF she promised to sleep. Ginny, Hermione and Angelina were still in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner and chatting away about things Harry would never understand (sometimes he wonders how _anyone_ would have the energy to discuss at length about Pansy's double-chin or the "Change-With-Your-Mood" shoes).

After having finally found time to be on his own, Harry gingerly pulled out Sirius's diary from his cupboard and took in a deep breath. He didn't know what to expect; he didn't even know if it was okay for him to be going through his godfather's _diary_. _Just a little peak, maybe_ , Harry smirked to himself and carried the diary over to his desk, overcome with curiosity. With excitement peaking, he gently opened the book turned the first page. He blinked in horror. Shaking his confusion, he ruffled through the rest of the pages in the diary and felt a pang of disappointment: the book was _empty_. There was not even the slightest trace of writing throughout the book. Frustrated, his slammed the book shut and rubbed his eyes, feeling foolish beyond words.

He sat there in silence for a moment. He did not even understand why this was disturbing him so much and kept going over it again and again... Honestly, _why_ should Sirius's diary appear out of nowhere after all these years and then end up being entirely BLANK?

 _Unless_ …

Harry took out his quill and blotted some ink on the parchment, and held his breath. To his utter astonishment, the ink vanished slowly, just like it had with Tom's diary! His heart skipped a beat and his excitement levels sky-rocketed. He had done this before and he was going to do it again. With shaky hands, he wrote, "Is this Sirius Black?"

His words vanished from the paper, and new words appeared: _"Hello, Harry, how have you been? I've waited for so long for you to write to me."_

Harry sat there, gobsmacked, absolutely stupefied by what had just happened. _How is this even possible? IS it even possible? Oh wait, it's just Sirius's memory, so I guess it is possible, but… he's been WAITING for me to write to him? Could he be…? No.. Of course not… No I can't think like that… He's gone, dead… This is a MEMORY… Harry Potter, you are NOT to become obsessed like you did with the Mirror of Erised…_

Harry's thoughts were cut short by newer words appearing on the page.

 _"Let me show you what life was back in 1971. Let me take you down memory lane, Harry, my dearest godson."_

And then, without warning, there was sudden gush of wind sweeping into the room, the diary plopped open and pages started blowing through until it reached a page marked "September, 1st 1971" and, before Harry knew it, he was falling head first into the diary. Everything around him changed. He saw a whirlwind of colour and shadows everywhere, and everything seemed to be growing bigger and bigger until he hit solid ground. At first, everything was slightly out of focus, and the sounds around him were hushed. Within minutes, however, his surroundings came into focus and he realized he was standing in the Great Hall, with students lining the four House Tables. The Sorting Hat was kept on the toadstool and was singing away to glory, while Professor McGonagall, who looked a lot younger, stood in front of a long line of first years, waiting to be sorted.

Harry immediately recognized a face that almost made his stomach do a somersault. There, grinning ecstatically and chatting away incessantly, was the 11-year James Potter with his iconic messy black hair. Harry couldn't believe his eyes. He was actually seeing his father back when he was a little kid! Harry suddenly realized he was smiling stupidly and ruffling up his hair more than usual.

What Harry hadn't realized yet was that the boy that James was chatting with would eventually end-up being his _godfather_! Without a doubt, Sirius's was one of the most beautiful faces among the several 1st-years. Already being slightly taller for his age, Sirius sported jet-black hair and a smile that would eventually drive the girls nuts in the next couple of years. Harry chuckled to himself as the scenes fast-forwarded to the Marauders' sorting. Quite predictably, four 11-year-old's got sorted into Gryffindor.

Sirius and James were now seated exactly in front of Harry and were engrossed in a boisterous conversation. Harry scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion and craned his neck to see where Remus and Peter were and, bizarrely enough, found them sitting elsewhere, alone and nervous; it was evident the four of them hadn't yet formed a bond yet.

Peter was seated further down the table between two third-year students while a battered-looking Remus sat right at the far end of the table towards the teachers. Of the several first-year students that had joined the Gryffindor's table, Remus's face was the most distinct of them all, owing to the dozen or so scars and stitches that lined his face. It was clear no one wanted to be friends with a boy who looked like he'd _fought in a war_.

Peter, Harry noticed, was constantly shooting glances up and down the table and seemed extremely out of place in contrast to the other first-years around him who were laughing and gleaming with excitement to be seated in the legendary Great Hall. He was slightly rounder and shorter for his age and seemed like a very shy and introverted little boy. Funnily, Harry had expected to seethe with indignation and hatred at the sight of Peter even before he had plunged into Sirius's diary and yet, here was, feeling only compassion and empathy for the scared and timid-looking 11-year-old with large eyes.

As Harry continued to watch the Sorting in the Great Hall, he noticed Sirius's face suddenly dart back to the front of the room.

"Williams, Isabella!" cried out McGonagall, and a scared, rather chubby girl with bushy black hair stepped up. Her face was ridden with pimples and her wide, hazel-nut eyes bore such fear, Harry almost felt a paternal urge to comfort the little child before he realized he's in someone's memory. His heart sank when he saw red paint smeared to the back of Isabella's school robes and a couple of first year girls were mirthlessly giggling behind her. Harry instantly knew that the girls were responsible for this and helplessly watched as tears streamed down Isabella's face. She, however, surprised Harry when she tugged at her robes and hid it out of sight from McGonagall and continued walking slowly towards the Hat, putting on a brave face.

 _That's my girl,_ thought Harry as a slow smile crept up his face. _This one's definitely getting into Gryffindor,_ he thought, as he made a mental note to teach that kind of bravery to little Lily.

"GRYFFINNNNNDOR!" roared the hat and little Isabella scuttled off towards the Gryffindor table looking positively flushed. Oddly, not many cheers greeted her from the table.

"Oh, thank god," breathed Sirius out of nowhere, making everyone look up at him, including Harry.

"What...?" allowed James, looking just as curious as Harry (Harry realized just HOW closely he resembled his dad).

"What?" Sirius repeated, almost choking on his pumpkin juice and turned to look at James with eyes the size of tennis balls, clearly embarrassed at being caught. However, when James's expression slowly transitioned from mere disgust to full-blown nausea, a nervous Sirius immediately jumped to do some damage-control. "Oh, no, no, no! I don't her at all! We just... We're _neighbours_..." Sirius said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "But, I don't even know her _name_ , so..." he fake-laughed, welcoming even more confused looks from the onlookers.

"Well, Professor Mconagall just called out her name. It's Isabella Williams..." he said, with eyebrows raised so high they threatened to jump right out of his skull.

"Of course!" he spluttered, and grinned nervously. "Oh and... I don't know her or have even _seen_ her before, by the way," he said and frantically nodded his head as if desperate to drive his point home. "And she's not my best friend... AT ALL!" he squeaked even louder, only to crash hard on his face as Isabella bounded straight towards Sirius and snuggled between him and another older boy at the table.

"We're in the same House!" she squealed and hugged him tight. But Sirius, whose face had turned a shade of deathly white now, didn't, for _one second_ , remove his eyes from James's appalled expression and laughed weakly, trying to salvage whatever dignity there was left of him.

"Just hope you don't make _me_ be seen with her when we waltz around these great corridors now," he said, shaking his head arrogantly, not caring for one second if Isabella could hear him or not. "Anyway, shush there!" he yelled, and craned his head back at the ceremony. "I really want to know which House _Evans_ is getting into," chortled James, his eyes twinkling immediately.

"Evans, Lily!" bellowed McGonagall and a little girl with bright red hair, who looked strikingly as Harry's own little Lily, walked up to the stool. The Hat barely scraped the redhead, before screaming, "GRYYYYFFINDOR!" one more time, this time, almost the whole table broke into applause welcoming her to their House.

Young Lily almost jumped off the stool and darted towards the House table, her face flushed with excitement.

Sirius, immediately put his hand out.

"Hello! I'm Sirius Black!" squeaked Sirius, with a wide grin on his face that was eventually replaced with a rather pained, constipated expression, as he received a hard nudge to his ribs from James. Lily immediately scowled at James, which, he obviously seemed to ignore.

"I'm James! James Potter! You can sit with us!" he said, happily patting the seat next to him.

"Thank you, but I think I'll go sit with my friends over there," she said, pointing at a group of first-year girls on the other side. "And you're not very nice!" she added, before turning away and leaving James hanging there awkwardly with his hand still held out.

James turned to look at Sirius, who was positively glowering at him, and let out a meek laugh and thumped his friend on the back, as if to say, _I hope that stays just between the two of us._

Harry was laughing so hard at all this, he was literally in tears. It was beyond anything he had ever imagined to know what had happened and how it had all happened back in 1971. This was truly priceless: to be able to see and KNOW how his dad grew up and re-live it WITH HIM? Harry hadn't expected that.

Harry was coming to the end of that memory and just as a bright light engulfed him and as everything around him slowly started to fade, he saw Sirius hanging around, waiting for Isabella to finish tying her lace, and have a brief chat with her, before running off to join his friends at the very front of the crowd.


	3. Their Marauding Ways

**Chapter 3:** The Marauders

* * *

Harry was pushed back into his chair so hard, he almost tumbled backwards. He sat there with his hands on the table, breathing heavily, brimming with happiness and contentment so much so that he couldn't get himself to stop smiling.

He sat there grinning for a long time, before he heard a knock on his room, and Ginny walked in, tired and flushed from all the work.

"Harry, you're still up? I imagined you'd be fast asleep by now..." started Ginny and stopped, looking at the expression on his face. Slowly she asked, "What's going on...?" and before she could even finish the sentence, Harry held her hand and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Darling, is everything OK, you're scaring me," said Ginny, half-smiling, half-worried.

Harry chuckled and kissed her. At first, Ginny was surprised, but returned the kiss by pulling him closer and wrapping her hands around his neck. She realized how long it's been since she's kissed her husband like this, without having to bother about being run into by James or Al or Hugo or Rose or _George_! Ginny always felt, the depth of the family's experiences were so disturbing that, they had lost out on their youth all too soon. Her generation had to grow up so quickly and become responsible adults all too soon at the tender age of 14 through 17 that the little joys of life that kids at that age would experience was gone forever.

Ginny let go of Harry with a loud kiss and studied him for a bit before asking, "What's up, Harry Potter?"

"Our Lily is going to be beautiful and smart and brave, my Princess!" said Harry, happily and kissed a rather confused-looking Ginny one more time on her cheek before jumping into bed himself. "Well, care to join me?" teased Harry as Ginny still looked uncertain but waved off her husband's ' _forever-17'_ attitude and snuggled up beside him.

oOo— ** _next day_** –oOo

Harry could hardly sleep the previous night and, at about quarter to 6, he woke up, dismissing any idea that he would even remotely find sleep in his currently excited state. He, instead, decided to take Sirius' diary to the kitchen and 'read' a little more into his life. Harry quickly made himself some hot chocolate and toasted bread before setting the diary on the kitchen counter.

"So what else happened after that, Sirius?" he wrote and waited.

Slowly his words vanished and new words appeared: _"That is for you to find out, Harry. Let me show you."_

And soon, his kitchen disappeared and Harry was back in Hogwarts. He was sitting on a chair in the Gryffindor common room and it was the morning before classes. Harry saw a slightly older-looking Sirius, Remus, James and Peter scramble down from the boys' dormitories and shuffle frantically across the room trying to gather their bags and ties and robes and quills. It looked like the bunch of them was running late to class, and Harry soon figured out that they were in their second year now. They weren't the only ones late though; at the entrance to the common room, Harry saw Isabella, now slightly taller and chubbier than she had been last year, nervously fidgeting with her bag too. And, just as she was about to zip her bag up, James ran straight past her, knocking her down to the ground.

"James!" yelled, Sirius, looking slightly annoyed, but immediately changed his expression, realizing what he'd just done.

"Yes, Sirius?" asked James quizzically. "Do you want to get a move on or what, we're really, really late to class, you know. And its Sprout, so you mind?" finished James.

Sirius looked over at Isabella, who was hurriedly and nervously cleaning up the splattered ink from her books and bag. "Honestly, was that necessary?" he asked, as he awkwardly held up Isabella's ink-splattered quills in an attempt to help her.

"What is the matter with you? Are you _HONESTLY_ going to get us into trouble because of that fat cow? Now hurry up, or I'm leaving you," said James, honestly not realizing he's ticked a nerve off in Sirius.

He glowered at James, the anger pretty evident in his eyes. "You say that _one more time_ , James Potter, I swear, I'll hex you!" he said through gritted teeth, want-at-the-ready, in his most menacing tone. It was then, that Harry realized that, despite the fact that both James and Sirius had grown taller from last year, Sirius was surely a tad taller and more muscular, albeit lanky, than James.

"What the fuck, Sirius?!" squeaked James. It was perhaps, the first time he was swearing, because the inexperience at using that word was pretty evident. "Are you actually threatening to _hex_ me for that oaf?" The poor girl looked like she'd vomit slugs any time now. This was perhaps their first fight since they met last year.

"Guys, would you knock it off?" started Remus. It was evident that both he and Peter seemed uncomfortable at taking sides and hence, remained transfixed in their positions, hoping and praying for the two to snap out of their so-called stand-off and get back to their senses.

"No, no, it's fine Remus," James said, in most sarcastic voice. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Sirius for one second. "Think I'll forgive him considering he has his head stuck far too deep on her _backside_..."

But, before James could finish that sentence, Sirius had launched himself at him, entirely abandoning his wand, and using all the energy he had to punch every inch of James. Flabbergasted, Remus and Peter collapsed to the floor too, trying to get them two out of each other's grasp. By now, James' specs was shattered, his hair clumsier than ever and his face had gone tomato-red from all the punching it had endured. James kicked out at Sirius making him howl in pain and quickly got on top of him to take revenge. By this time, Remus had regained composure and yanked James away from Sirius and quickly ordered Peter to hold on to him. In all this commotion, Harry hadn't notice Isabella scramble out of the common room to her class, positively petrified and embarrassed than ever before.

"I NEVER want to talk to you again! I hate you, I _hate_ you! I'm NEVER talking to you EVER. AGAIN!" James squeaked at Sirius. James's voice, Harry noticed, had still not cracked entirely making him sound very feminine, thus, robbing the effect off of his words entirely. "Remus, Peter, let's go. He's not worth it!" he said, shooting a mean look in Sirius's direction before stomping out of the room. The two nervously nodded at Sirius before following James out through the portrait hole.

Harry was very, very curious. _WHY was Sirius even paying her so much attention?_

Before Harry could wonder more on that, the scenes changed yet again, and he was standing at exactly the same spot as before, except it was night-time and the common room was very crowded with students working on their homework or chatting away before bed. James was, most predictably, sitting in the center of the room with a whole bunch of onlookers listening most delightedly to his story from that morning and roaring with laughter every now and then. In the corner, near the window, however, Harry saw Remus and Peter and Sirius huddled together and speaking in hushed voices.

"...listen Sirius, that doesn't make any sense. Why do you defend her so much?" asked Remus.

Sirius looked forlorn. He looked like he _wanted_ to tell everything to Remus and Peter, but knew that him saying it could potentially ruin his reputation in school. By now, every girl (even third and fourth years) seemed to want to look at Sirius, talk to Sirius, get his attention, be asked out by Sirius and, every other guy in the room wanted to _be like_ Sirius: never studies, yet excels in every subject, never combs his hair, yet has every girl swoon with just a flick of his head. _Cool guys can't be seen with losers._

"Sirius, you can trust us," said Peter, in a small voice. "Your secret will be safe with me, forever, you know?" he said, looking wide-eyed at Sirius.

Sirius's face immediately broke into a smile. "I know I can trust you with my life, Peter," he said, putting his thin hand around his shoulder and settling down next to him. "Okay, I'll tell you," he said, and sighed loudly. "Isabella and I well... We're childhood friends. She lives in Islington, same as me. She and her sister were the only kids in the neighbourhood and I grew up with her. Mum never let me mix with muggle-borns, but I well, snuck out of home all the time to go play with her in the park. She's kind of like my best friend, you know. We did everything together! We even built our own tree-house, you know?" he asked, gleaming down at his best friends. "It was a secret place meant for just the four of us: me, Izzy, Angie and Regulus. But then after we joined Hogwarts, I well... I got teased a lot by James and other guys for spending time with her, you know? I don't blame them, she really is so fat and ugly, and I..."

"That's mean, Sirius," Remus cut in.

"But, honestly, who'd want to be friends with someone like her?" he said, jerking his head in her direction. "I couldn't be seen with her anymore. But I still like her. She's really fun and intelligent. She used to help me make up weird distractions at home so that I could sneak out for just a few of hours and play outside, you know?" he said with a smirk.

Remus nodded. "Well then, you still need to talk to James, you know. Apologize. 'Cause, he sure as hell won't be apologizing to YOU in a hundred years," said Remus and nodded in the direction of James. To Harry, Remus never really sounded like a 12-year-old boy. He was clearly well ahead of his generation.

Sirius' face lit up instantly and, without a second's hesitation, walked right over to James and held out his hand. "Want to mess up the girls' bathroom before hitting the sack?" he asked with a winkle in his eye. This was enough apology that James needed who, in turn, said, "Would I ever?!" and the two of them left the common room with a round of applause from their onlookers.


	4. Messy Beginnings

**Disclaimer: Again, nothing's mine. All the credit still remains with the legendary JK. (Please do review!) :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Messy Beginnings**

* * *

The images now were changing rapidly, giving Harry only snippets of what happened next.

A _whoosh_ of wind hit Harry as he stood in front of Professor McGonagall who was in the middle of a Transfiguration class. Harry saw James and Sirius sitting together at the very end of the classroom sniggering at each other. Harry realized this was still in their second-year: immediately after what had happened in the common room. An evil grin hung about James's face as he pointed his wand at Isabella who was sitting in front of him. A silver light shot out of the end of his wand and hit her squarely on the back, leaving her gasping with an ass's tail. Harry simply stared on, shocked at his father's ruthlessness. The expression that washed over Isabella's face, as the rest of the class burst out laughing, was far too heart-wrenching for Harry to make peace with.

Harry could faintly hear McGonagall taking 50 points from Gryffindor ( _"But Professor, we were just practicing Transfiguration, you know?!"_ ) while there was another _whoosh_ and this time, he was standing in the Quidditch field and a match was in place amidst deafening cheers.

It was the annual inter-House Quidditch Cup match and Gryffindor was playing against Hufflepuff. Both Sirius and James had made it to the team this year, Sirius playing Beater while James was playing Chaser. A second later, Harry could hear the blood-curdling whistle of Madam Hooch resounding through the stadium and the Gryffindor stands erupted in an explosion of cheers: the Snitch was caught, Gryffindor had won. All the students ran down towards the field and amidst the commotion, Harry caught Isabella's face, which was now red from clutching it with excitement.

She pushed her way down the steps and was predictably headed straight toward Sirius without a doubt. However, as she got there, her face fell: a third-year senior with long, blond hair and long, slender legs, seemed to have wrapped herself around Sirius's neck. She looked shattered as the other players, including James, cheered Sirius on. And, although Sirius seemed to like all the attention, he also seemed uncomfortable being wrapped around the girl and being cheered on like he'd won a prize of some sort. Isabella's face was now redder than ever as a slow tear trickled down her face. In an instant, she swung around and began to push her way back to the stands. Just then, a happy Sirius wriggled himself out of the girl's embrace and eagerly scanned the crowd that was thundering towards him and the team and spotted Isabella.

A gust of wind hit Harry and the scene began to change, yet again. As Harry floated towards yet another memory, he caught a glimpse of Sirius reaching out unsuccessfully at Isabella as she walked away from him and towards the empty stands. Before long, Harry was standing in McGonagall's office. Isabella was standing there obediently, her hands in her face; it looked like she was crying.

"Isabella, now I am NOT going to entertain this self-pity trip that you are taking yourself on!" Harry heard Professor McGonagall saying. "And that is NO EXCUSE for your behavior! I'm glad though, that you turned yourself in, but do NOT, even for a second, think you have escaped punishment, because I have NO such intentions! I have zero tolerance for cheating and this, is by far, the most shocking of them all!" she said, slamming her hand on her desk.

"I would appreciate it more if you actually worked hard and focused on improving your GRADES instead! Also, I will _not_ tolerate any more complaints about being bullied in the corridors by James and his little gang of _ruffians_! It's time you learnt to deal with peer pressure like a big girl! You are not five years old, anymore, you know?" she yelled, glaring daggers at Isabella. Harry noticed Isabella's self-esteem sink down a notch more as she mutely nodded at her Transfiguration teacher. McGonagall seemed to notice too, but did not seem to care in the least.

"Now, pull yourself together, and from this moment on, I would like you to concentrate on your education, isn't that why you are here?! Especially since, I know for a fact that you have the potential to beat even _Lily_ in your class! And," she added, softening up just a little this time. "I see that you _might_ just qualify to be on the Quidditch team next year if you honed your flying skills just a _little_ bit. A _Chaser_ , perhaps?" she said with a hint of smile cracking on her face.

Isabella, looked up, looking mildly surprised and, quite unable to stop the smile that was bursting at the end of her lips, at the sudden change in McGonagall's tone and nodded quietly. She had grown taller from what Harry saw her last and looked like she was starting to lose some weight, but her hair had gotten messier and she looked even less attractive now than ever before.

Harry felt a gush of wind, and the scenes around started to change yet again, and right before he went on to another memory, he heard Isabella saying, "I will make you proud, Professor," with a smile.

The scenes that followed that memory were extremely short and changed quickly from one to another. Harry was back in the Great Hall while students were hurriedly having their breakfast before classes started. The Marauders were thirteen years old now and James and Sirius had started to look rather smart, what with their athletic bodies and strong arms, although still very thin and lanky. Remus, who was thinner and lankier, looked beat and malnourished in contrast to the other two while Peter was getting rounder and rounder by the second.

Harry saw James mischievously place a slimy-looking weed of some sort onto Isabella's seat of which, she was completely oblivious to. She was talking to a fellow third-year and sat down with a _slurp!_ Horrified and completely taken aback, she stood up again to see a slimy, green blotch on her uniform and instantly turned a deep shade of red. James, Sirius and a couple of other boys roared with laughter.

"James, _honestly?!_ " came the angry voice of Lily. "Would you just give her break, please, I'm begging you. I can't stand this anymore!" she bellowed and quickly turned towards Isabella ( _James called out, "What's the matter, Evans? We were just having fun!" and the rest of the boys cackled away_ ). "You want to run upstairs and clean that off before we head to class? I could help," she offered with an apologetic smile.

Isabella nodded uncertainly and said, "Yeah that would be mighty helpful, Lily. Could you come along?" she asked seeming mighty embarrassed. Lily immediately put hand around her and started to lead her out of the Great Hall.

Before the girls left though, Isabella turned to look at Sirius, this time looking positively furious (it unfortunately made her look even more unattractive) and said, "Sirius! I can't BELIEVE you're doing this to me! You know I thought we were friends but I'm DONE! It was nice knowing you, Black! You get so much as _10 feet_ around me, and I will make sure you'll find it difficult to use the bathroom for a whole two WEEKS!" she yelled and turned her back on them which made Lily laugh out loud and thump her on the back saying, "Thaaaaaat's my girl!" before giving the Marauders one last look of disdain and moving on.

The scenes changed again and Harry and Sirius were standing in the shadows on the Quidditch pitch, watching Isabella training vigorously. Her face was screwed up in fierce concentration and was dripping with sweat as she tackled some enchanted Bludgers that threatened to squash her broom. She neatly swiveled her broom past the Bludgers and beautifully passed the Quaffle through the hoops!

Score! Score! SCORE! Sirius looked awestruck. Isabella was unaware of being watched, however.

She kept tactfully avoiding the Bludgers and, in Harry's opinion, almost seemed pro at Quidditch with the level of precision she had while scoring. His heart warmed as he saw her grow into a strong, self-made little girl.

 _Oh, Sirius, now you're in trouble,_ he thought to himself, not able to contain himself.

A gush of wind later, Harry saw Professor Flitwick handing out essays back to students in his classroom and most of them looked sullen with the marks they'd received: they were in their fourth year now. He reached the table where Lily, Isabella and two more girls sat and handed them their essays back with a "Well done, you two, full marks!" with a broad grin. His expression, however, changed upon looking at Sirius and James and Peter's faces. "You three better catch up with your homework or you  
might just fail Charms this year!" he yelled before handing out their essays. Sirius had barely managed to get an _'Acceptable'_ while James received a _'Poor'_ and Peter got a _'Troll.'_

Isabella turned back to look at James' essay and said, "So Prince Charming actually _failed_ his 'Charms'? Maybe you should lay off Lily for a little while and spend more time actually _studying_ , you know?" to which Lily, Isabella and their girlfriends roared with laughter, leaving James look rather forlorn at his whole situation (even Sirius snorted a bit. It looked like he was trying to get Isabella's attention, but she merely turned away and ignored him completely).

The classroom dissolved and the images began to solidify once more, this time sending Harry back to the common room. An ear-splitting party raged on in the common room: Gryffindor House banners were sprawled across the walls, the House Cup stood on a pedestal in the center of the room, confetti flew everywhere, Butterbeer stalls lined one end of the room, loud Muggle music blared through the speakers and the students seemed to have gone berserk over the victory. Harry noticed the players, were still donning their Quidditch robes and James and Sirius were, predictably, at the epicenter of the party.

"Hey, Evans! Why don't you join James here in the party? He really misses you!" called out Sirius cheekily and a whole bunch of boys wolf-whistled from around James (James blushed instantly, but looked expectantly over at Lily all the same).

Lily rolled her eyes at him. "We've discussed this, Black! I'm not taking up the offer until you confess about your feelings for Williams!" she yelled back with a raised eyebrow and a smug smile making Sirius's face go blank temporarily. He couldn't believe she said that out loud in front of the entire _gang_!

A mingled look of surprise and shock washed over the faces of the boys as they roared even more loudly this time; James thumped him hard on the back and said, "Having them hots for the _Star Chaser_ now, eh?" and the rest of the group cackled after him.

"What, NO! NOOO!" said, Sirius, finding it difficult to find the right words. "Come on, James, _HER_?" he said, looking incredulously at James and the boys.

"Of course!" yelled Lily, teasingly. "Why else would you save the Quaffle that won today's match... Wait a minute, wasn't it scored by _Isabella...?_ " she asked, her eyes twinkling. Sirius positively went red in the face now and ran his hand through his hair with a defensive grin.

"That was ju... That was nothing!" he said, smiling defensively at the boys who were looking expectantly in his direction, not buying a _word_ of what he's saying. "Oh that's just great," he exclaimed, realizing how pointless his explanation was. "Honestly, Evans? Can't thank you enough for that, really," he said, giving her a playful death glare. "But if you _must_ know," he said to the boys, who were now sniggering uncontrollably behind him, "I was just _very_ emotional about this win against Slytherin! It's got NOTHING to do with _Izzy...?!_ " he said, shaking his incredulously and scrunching up his eyebrows in pretend-disgust.

"Right, yeah of course," said James, trying very hard to keep a straight face. "You don't feel ANYTHING for _'Izzy'_ obviously!" said James, quite unable to control the facial muscles that were threatening tear the skin right out of his skull.

Sirius hung his head in exasperation before playfully pushing James's face away from him. He grinned at the boys before, "James honestly, me and _her_? NEVER happening, why would you even _think_ that?!" he said shaking his head in disgust. Still grinning, he turned around to get some more Butterbeer and stopped short in his tracks: Isabella stood there looking wide-eyed at him. Her face had lost all its color and she looked as white as a ghost as as is remark slowly seeped through the pores of her brain.

The rest of the boys behind him burst out laughing while Sirius continued to gape back at her, his face growing paler and paler by the second. Isabella merely raised an eyebrow at him and bit her lip in an attempt to control herself.

"Nice, Sirius," she said, scathingly as hurt crossed her eyes. "I feel _precious_ ," she said blinking back tears before whipping around and dashing towards the dorms.

"Izzy, _wait!_ " he called out and tried to reach for her, but she jerked away from him and disappeared up the stairs.

The scenes dissolved once more.

Harry was jerked forward as the Hogwarts Express came to a halt. It was snowing outside and, Harry realized, all the students were returning home for Christmas holidays. He was standing in the girls' compartment as he saw Lily, Isabella, Mary, Claiborne and Alice haul their trunks and make their way out of the compartment. Alice was the first to leave and, as soon as she disappeared behind the door, Harry heard her shout, _"Hey Sirius. Happy Christmas in advance! Write to me over the holidays, okay?"_ to which Harry heard a flirtatious _"Of course! Everyday, if I have to!"_ reply from Sirius.

It looked like Sirius was waiting outside the girls' compartment for some reason.

Claiborne and Mary followed Alice and Harry could hear pleasantries being exchanged between them and Sirius too.

"Izzy, you got your trunk out, yeah? Shall we leave?" asked Lily, drawing out her trunk from under the seats.

"Coming right up, Lil! Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you!" called back Isabella, who was shoving her school robes into her carry-on bag while trying to yank her heavy trunk out.

Lily left the compartment too and, this time, Sirius's head bobbed in and out of view from inside the compartment. " _Sirius_?! Why are you waiting outside our... Ohhh..." came Lily's teasing voice. "Waiting for someone, sweet pea?" Lily giggled. "Sort of," came the hushed voice of Sirius before he added, "But I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to _you_ , now, could I?" he laughed. "Happy holidays, and please, please, _please_ do write to James or he'll nag the hell out of me when we come back?" he said, teasingly while pulling her into a hug. "I'll think about it. More importantly though, do NOT mess things up in there," Harry could hear her say to Sirius. "Handle her with care," she whispered, sporting a wide grin. Sirius grinned back and hurriedly whispered a, "Thanks for the tip," before patting her on the back one last time. Isabella, who was listening to all this, looked nervous and hurriedly yanked her trunk out to make a quick exit only to realise Sirius was blocking her way.

At first, Harry couldn't believe his eyes: Isabella had changed SO MUCH! She had lost a great deal of weight by now, had grown a lot taller from the previous memory and, somehow, seemed to sport an air of new-found confidence; her face was less pimply and she actually looked very pretty.

"Izzy, hey... You er... Got a minute?" he asked nervously, his hands still resting on the doorway.

Isabella sighed. "Look, Sirius, if this is about what you said _four_ _months_ ago, I'd say save it. You don't have to apologise for being honest," she said bluntly, making Sirius roll his eyes and mutely throw his hands up in exasperation. "Now, if you don't mind, I really have to get going. Mum's waiting right out..." and tried to get past him.

"Whoa, hey, Izzy!" he said, swinging his hand around her waist and twirled her back inside the compartment. "Izzy, come on! Don't do that, please! We've hardly _SPOKEN_ to each other in the last _two years_! I don't want things to get _worse_ between us because I said something that I didn't even MEAN!"

At this, Isabella's face suddenly tightened with shock. Her nose went red and her mouth trembled as she spoke. "Excuse me? What do you mean you didn't _mean_ what you said that day?!" she repeated, eyeing him dangerously. Her eyes were simmering with mingled expressions of anger and betrayal as she inched closer to him. " _Of course_ , you meant what you said that day, and you know what? I'm totally okay with that!" she yelled. "What I am NOT okay with, however, is you trying to _defend_ yourself now! Why are you tying to make peace with me when you couldn't even _stand_ being mentioned in the same sentence as me that day?! Why are you talking to me _now_ when no one's around?! What is this really about, Sirius? What, does the star of Gryffindor _not_ want to be even _remotely_ associated with the _least_ popular girl in our year...?!" she cried.

" _What?!_ What do you _mean,_ least popular...? _Isabella Grace Williams_ , you're all the _entire SCHOOL_ is talking about right now! Heck, do you even _know_ how many blockheads fancy you...?!"

"Ew, stop it! Do I LOOK like I care about that?!" she interjected, and the two of them ended up glaring at each other for a bit. "You know what, you'll never understand, forget I said anything..." she said, forcing herself to be calm. "I can handle it, Sirius, I can handle being despised by everyone..."

"Goodammit, _you're the exact_ OPPOSITE _of that..._ "

"SHUT IT! I don't _care_ about the others, Sirius, I am talking about YOU!" she screamed, and this time Sirius was truly rendered speechless as he eyed he guiltily. "I am talking about being despised by you. I am talking about feeling worthless, and being an embarrassment to YOU..." she said, as her lips quivered uncontrollably. "It hurts a lot, I'm not going to lie, but I will live I can assure you that..." she said, making eye her helplessly.

"That's unnecessary..." he began, but shut up when he realized she wasn't listening to a word of what he's saying.

"Are you really _that_ ashamed of me, Sirius?" she finally asked him, coming straight to the point, making him protest defensively.

"NO, Izzy, come _on_! Everything's coming out sounding so wrong...!" he exclaimed, rubbing his temple. "Izzy, look, I... It's hard to admit, but I _know_ I have been mean to you on several occasions... I _can_ get carried away when I'm with James but, look... Even if I don't say it, there's truth at the bottom of it all. You _are_ , and will _always_ be one of my best friends ever, and NOTHING will change that!" he said, making her turn away exasperatedly. "Izzy, no, look!" he said, grabbing her by the hand and turning her around to face him. "I'm dead serious when I say this. I miss you Izzy. I really, _really_ miss you..." he finally said in a low voice, slipping his hand down her arm and taking her hand in his. Her eyes welled up instantly, but she managed to hold on. "I miss having you around, I miss talking to you. I'm sorry about that day, I really did not mean to hurt you..."

"But you did..." she said, battling a particularly painful lump in her throat. "Especially, since... God, I can't believe I'm actually saying this out loud," she said, tearing her eyes away from him exasperatedly.

"Saying _what_ aloud?"

"It doesn't matter, Sirius," she said, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Not after what happened that day, anyway," she said, tugging at her trunk and dragging herself out one more time only tone stopped him once again.

"Isabella, would you _stop_ being so cryptic and actually tell me what in the world's going on?!" he yelled, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her towards him yet again. He glared at her with a mingled expression of worry, anxiety and curiosity all rolled into one.

She closed her eyes and sighed loudly, cringing with embarrassment. "Sirius, the reason why Lily teases you with me is... is because I..." she paused to look him straight in the eye before adding, "it's because I _actually_ feel all that for you..." she said, with a shaky voice. Sirius's jaw dropped as he continued to stare blankly at her.

A tense moment passed when neither of them spoke. He continued to stare at her as waves of shock washed over his body. " _What...?_ " he managed to breathe out at long last, making her cringe even more.

"I've lost it entirely, I _know_!" she said.

"No, you've not," he started, but couldn't find the right words to say to her just yet.

"Sirius, look," she said. Her lips trembled as she spoke. "We can't be friends anymore. I hope you understand..." she said, as a fat tear trickled down her face.

Sirius stood there staring helplessly at her with his hands on hips as she picked up her trunk and dragged it around him get to the door. But just as she was about to get out, "Wait, wait, wait, Izzy," he said, jogged past her and stopped at the doorway, blocking her way yet again. Sighing heavily he looked at her, the sadness more than evident in his face. After a moment's pause, he put his hands in pocket and placed a tiny pink phial on her palm. "Brewed this especially for you..." he said in a quiet voice, not quite having the courage to meet her eye. "Thought I'd give it as your Christmas present this year... Felix Felicis... The next time you feel down and unlucky, think of me?" he said, heavily. "I love you, Izzy..."

Another fat tear trickled down her face, as she looked straight at Sirius. "Just not the way I do, I suppose..." she said, and a light wind swept over them. The images dissolved yet again.

The shapes and blotches slowly came back into focus and this time, Harry was standing in a deserted corridor. Isabella was was in her fifth year now and was walking towards Harry with a very heavy book in her hand and, just as she was about to turn a corner, a broom cupboard to her left swung open and a pair of hands dragged her in.

"Shhhhh!" hissed Sirius at a very annoyed-looking Isabella.

"Sirius?! What in the WORLD is going on?!" she yelled only to invite more _'Shhhhhhhhhh!'_ from Sirius who, on later thought, merely covered her mouth with his hand to keep her quiet.

"I just wanted to talk to you, okay? Just give me two minutes!" he said, raising his eyebrows in a way of getting her consent.

"But I thought we WEREN'T going to do _just that_ anymore from what I remember!" she said, angrily.

Sirius's face broke into a wide grin. "Well, not anymore, I suppose!" he said, making her glare even more menacingly at him. "It's what I wanted to talk to you about. I thought about it, Izzy and... I just can't. I am not ready to lose my best friend just because things have gotten awfully complicated with us..."

"And here I was, thinking people _stopped_ being in each others' lives for EXACTLY that reason!" she added sarcastically.

"Well, not me I suppose! Just thought I'd keep you informed of my intentions so that you wouldn't go all crazy on me the next time I play a prank on you!" he said, grinning mischievously at her. "It's James's idea, by the way. Thought you and I went back too far to drop things off in this fashion; also that you were behaving like a complete baby!" he said, grinning broadly, as her eyebrows arched even higher. "Well, anyway, go on then!" he said, gently rubbing his finger over her face. "Before I get all too irresistible for you!" he joked, unnecessarily moving a little too close to her. Isabella's face screamed bloody murder at that comment, making him laugh even more. "What? Too early? We're still not allowed to make fun of your _massive_ crush on me?!"

Isabella blushed immediately and would've gladly given him a piece of her mind, but decided to merely push him out of the way and made way to leave the cupboard when he said, "Oh and er... Just wanted to tell you... Your flying? Mind-wreckingly awesome!" he said, stressing a little too much on the last word, making her blush even more before she darted out of the broom cupboard.

And then all of a sudden, the scenes changed again and Harry was standing in the seventh floor corridor as students headed down from the Divination class. The Marauders were in their sixth year now.

Harry saw Sirius and Remus climbing down the ladder from the Divination class, chatting away casually. Sirius now looked breathtakingly handsome as he waltzed away with his collar button undone and sporting a "loosened-tie" look. (Sirius had no regards for his school uniform, because Harry didn't remember ever having hopped around classes with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbow and abandoning his school robes entirely).

Harry noticed that Sirius had grown a LOT taller ( _almost 5'11,_ _or even 6!_ Harry thought) and muscular, and sported an air of casual elegance. Broad shoulders and narrow waist; short torso, sitting on a pair of long legs. His jet black hair fell softly down his neck and his face was chiseled to perfection. He had prominent cheek and jaw bones that gave a square-ish shape to his face and his large grey eyes carried immense innocence and yet, an undying mischief played in it.

 _One smile from that son-of-a-***** would send any girl down on her knees_ , Harry thought, smiling broadly.

Remus on the other hand, was about an inch and half shorter than Sirius and sported a light brown hair. Hair combed back, tie in place, neatly pressed robes and impeccably polished shoes. How these two got along so well, Harry would never know.

Sirius started to playfully toss his textbook up and down and caught it back unconsciously as he chatted away with Remus when he ran into a tall, thin girl with long, wavy, dark brown hair, eventually knocking her, and a whole bunch of other stuff she was carrying in her hand, to the ground. "Sirius Black, would you WATCH where you're going?!" she yelled before slouching on the floor to collect her things.

"Oh heeeey, Izzy, well, I'm sorry babe, I didn't quite see you there," he said, flirtatiously as she glared at him and went back to collecting her quills, parchments and phials. Harry's jaw dropped.

 _THAT is Isabella Williams?!_


	5. Curious Whispers

**Disclaimer: Don't own a nothing. Not making money out of this. Just a huge fan of JK! (Oh, and please review! :))**

P.S. **Funfact:** Listening to Chainsmoker's _Closer_ helped me a LOT while writing this chap:P

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Curious Whispers...**

* * *

 _30_ _th_ _March, 1975: I will remember this day for as long as I live._

 _~oOo-oOo~_

"Izzy!" he exclaimed happily. "I'm sorry babe, I didn't quite see you there," he laughed flirtatiously and winked mischievously. She glowered at him before kneeling down to collect her things. Sirius, however, was obviously _not_ going to let her go that easy, and started to playfully fan the quills away from her reach using his book, making her even more frustrated.

Remus merely rolled his eyes at how dense his friend gets around this girl.

Harry, however, simply stood there in shock: Isabella's transformation was just _remarkable!_ She had lost oodles of weight and her body was now thin, long and slender. Her black, lustrous hair fell in smooth waves around the small of her back and her face was now thin and drawn. Her large, hazel-coloured eyes perfectly lined and her eyebrows were beautifully plucked, giving her a flawless, face-framing arch. She had grown a lot taller from when Harry saw her last and seemed only about 6 inches shorter than Sirius himself.

"Sirius, _honestly_?!" she said, scowling at him. "Stop it! We have a class to get to, you know? I'm going to be late!" she said, only to invite more mischief from him.

"I've warned you, Izzy," said Remus, smiling jokingly at her before bending down to help her with her things. "Contrary to popular beliefs, the more you ignore this one, the more he gnaws at you!" he said, chuckling at her murderous look while she stood up and shoved her things back into her backpack.

Sirius who was shamelessly checking her out till now, simply shrugged. "I'm not even sorry about it!" he laughed before swinging his hand around her neck and stooping down to rudely kiss her on the cheek. Clearly, he had NO sense of 'space' when it came to girls, Harry noted. Isabella's face flushed almost instantly and looked she was battling a particularly nasty bunch of butterflies in her stomach.

"Sirius, I'm not even joking. I WILL go to McGonagall this time!" she yelled, trying to give him her most dangerous look. But, it was like, Sirius could see right through her, because he merely gasped at her saying, "A _threesome?_ You know me SO well!" and ended up giving her yet another bone-crushing (albeit _adoring_ ) kiss to the side of her face.

"That's enough, Sirius, let go of her," said Remus with raised eyebrows, trying to sound as authoritative as possible, but Sirius merely stood there grinning mischievously at her, as if he couldn't get enough of her just yet, while Isabella mustered up all her energy to escape from his iron grip.

And just when the two of them were wrestling with each other, Sirius was greeted by a girl from Ravenclaw, making him go pale in the face.

"There you _are_!" she squeaked on top of her voice, as she threw her arms around his neck while eyeing him like he was her long-lost love. "I was looking _everywhere_ for you!" she crooned in his ears and ruffled his hair. Sirius clearly looked irritated because **one,** he was _just_ getting started with Isabella and **two,** that she had just messed up his meticulously set hair.

"Ornelle?" he began, and tried to wriggle himself out of her hands.

However, before he could shrug her off and go back to teasing Isabella, the girl hummed a sickening, "Yes, I'm right here, sweet pea!" in his ear, yanked his head forward, and without a second's warning, started attacking his mouth like she needed CPR or she'd choke and die any second.

She was now kissing him furiously, grunting a little from time to time, that it made even Harry feel sick in the stomach. She clearly did not seem to care about the small crowd of onlookers who had gathered around, pointing and laughing in their direction; on the contrary, she actually seemed to be enjoying all the attention like it was some sort of picnic she was having smack in the middle of the hallway.

Isabella and Remus who were standing right next to the pair seemed disgusted beyond expression and made a quick move to get away from them. Somewhere at a point when Harry thought Sirius's lips might get tragically _eaten_ , he somehow managed to break apart from the girl and gulped in a ton of air. He held her at arm's length and raised his eyebrows as if to say, _Okay, what just happened?_

She looked at him quizzically and said, "What's the matter, pumpkin? You didn't want me to stop at all _yesterday_...?" she said, sniggering into his neck. Harry laughed to himself as this new piece of information, ironically, seemed to invite even louder claps and laughter from the onlookers (Isabella and Remus made a quick dash and left the hallway looking like they'd be sick if they had to endure another second of that).

Sirius looked distracted and claustrophobic and desperately searched the hall for a way to get away from this girl. "Er... So sorry to disappoint you babe, but I have a class to get to!" he said and immediately seemed to realize how horrible that excuse sounded, _even to_ _him_.

Since when did Sirius Black start caring about classes?

"Oh come on, it'll be a quickie, I promise!" she giggled, making him almost gag in disgust.

He looked around desperately looking for a way to wriggle himself out of this situation, when all of a sudden, his eyes widened in happiness when he recognized one of the other, older boys in the hallway and waved at him, "Hey! Frank, my man! I'll be right there..." he said forcing a laugh and nodding vehemently at Frank Longbottom, making it look like him chatting with Frank right _then_ was a matter of national importance!

Ornelle let out a loud gasp and tugged at his shirt to make him stay. Sirius, however, pretended as if he heard Frank call out to him. "Hold on, babe, I'll be right back," he managed to get out before adding, "Yeah, I'm just coming right over!" to Frank.

Instead of helping him out, though, Frank merely laughed out loud and hi-fived one of his other friends, making Sirius gape around looking flummoxed and on the brink of committing suicide!

He was not going to give up just then though so, while Ornelle continued to tug at his shirt, trying to his attention, he simply stood there, grinning rather stupidly, hoping Frank or _anyone_ would play along. But Frank merely stood there with his hands in pockets with a broad grin and lightly shook his head, as if to say, _You're on your own now, mate, I'm having too much fun right about now._

Finally understanding what was going on around her, an annoyed Ornelle, placed a firm finger on Sirius's chin and turned it towards her saying, "Sirius, are you _avoiding_ me?!" her voice coming out shrilly and, quite frankly, sounding scary.

Sirius looked slightly perplexed now. "Look, Ornelle," he said, trying to look serious, "Er... I well... Um..." he stuttered, not knowing exactly what to say. "As in, what I'm trying to say is, we..." he said, nervously glancing around before closing his eyes and blurting the words out, "We er... We're over..." he said and immediately braced himself from a possible assault to his head.

What Harry was really taken aback with, however, was Ornelle's reaction. She didn't whack him on the head, she didn't slap him across his face and neither did she cry like he expected her to. She screamed. She actually _screamed_ her lungs out so much so that Harry was genuinely concerned for the glass bookshelves that lined the library _two wings_ away.

"No! Nooo!" and she screamed some more. "Sirius, _don't do this to me_! You promised to love me forever!" she wailed, tears streaming down her pretty face. On the contrary, the boys were having the time of their lives watching the two love birds having a spat smack at the heart of the school.

"Ornelle, _please_ , I never said that!" he scoffed in a low voice, and eyeing the others wildly as if to say the girl's tragically cracked in the head. "Babe, listen," he hissed, this time grabbing her by the hand and muttering in her ears, no doubt, trying to salvage whatever reputation he was left with. "This has _got_ to stop!" he hissed, trying to get the point across. "We're done! It's over, okay?" he added weakly.

Ornelle's widened eyes seemed to suggest absolute disbelief and shock. "NO!" she shrieked.

"Yes, we're over!" he stressed once again. As an afterthought, he goes on to hiss, "And if you must know why, it's because I'm with someone else right now!"

She looked up looking shocked beyond expression and started to hammer him on the chest screaming, "What in the WORLD?! You can't be SERIOUS!" she bellowed. "Who is this _girl_?" she cried out, and stepping threateningly in front of him (the crowd now roared with laughter. Sirius, however, was clearing having fun grinning and waving at his friends in the crowd).

When she flicked him on the forehead to get his attention back on her, he merely sighed and turned to face her and said, "It's really not important who I'm _with_ currently!" he exclaimed exasperatedly through gritted teeth.

"NO!" she screamed, as reality slowly started to sink in. "Who is it, Sirius?" she asked menacingly this time. It looked like she was ready to butt-head this girl's guts out right now! "Who _is it?_ " she insisted. "There _really_ isn't anyone, is there?!" she shrieked. " _Sirius_?!"

Seemingly exhausted, Sirius seemed to contemplate for a second and decided that giving her a name would be faster than coaxing her into rejection. He pursed his lips and, before he could stop himself, the words were out of his mouth: "Izzy Williams. Happy? Now get out of my hair, Ornelle!" he said meanly, and walked away from a shocked audience. However, the hall erupted into cheers three seconds later and the crowd applauded him out of the hallway.

Harry ran besides Sirius and a couple of other students ( _"Way to go, mate!" said one of the boys who was from Ravenclaw, to which Sirius replied, "Thanks, man!" with a broad grin_ ) to the Herbology department. All the students filed into the greenhouse and, most unfortunately, Sirius was the last to enter and had the misfortune of entering exactly an instant after the second warning bell rang which made Professor Sprout look up.

"Sirius Black. Forever late to class!" she announced, making all the students look up and snigger at him. Sirius let his jaw drop at Sprout.

"What? Professor, that was the FIRST time I am late to your class!" he appealed to which, she chuckled softly and replied, "I never said you were always to MY class, but anyway, 20 points from Gryffindor!" she cried before turning towards a group of Slytherin girls, who were currently being strangled by a Venomous Tentacula.

"Oh and Sirius, join in with Mr. Lupin and Ms. Williams for your class today," Sprout called out before rescuing the girls from the grip of the Tentacula.

Harry thought he saw Sirius's face light up at the thought of taking his class with Isabella as he jogged towards their table. As soon as he reached their corner, he smacked his hands together and looked straight at Isabella, as if trying to get her attention. To Harry though, Sirius looked so deranged as he glared back at her with an evil smirk on his face and feared it might just bore a _hole_ on her forehead!

Unfortunately, he was ignored royally by both Remus and Isabella as they continued to collecting venom off the vines of the plant (she looked absolutely breathtaking from where Harry stood). Quite disappointed at the lack of reaction from her, Sirius tried ambling towards their table and looked around aimlessly at anything and everything, except her, and sighing loudly, as if he was an exasperated movie star from the Muggle world, who was tired of warding off fans.

Still no reaction.

He went around and stood next to her, and lightly nudged her on the arm with his elbow. She merely brushed it off and turned to Remus, "That should be about fine, right, Remus?" she asked, peering at the phial which was now about one-third full of venom.

At this point, frustrated, Sirius dropped his act and twirled her around by her hand (Remus smiled, pocketed his hands and took a curiously, new-found interest in Sirius and Isabella). "Really, Izzy, you're just NEVER going to talk me?" he demanded angrily.

She looked up at him, pretended to be lost in thought for a second and then turned to Sirius, smiled sweetly and said, "Yeah, I think so!" before she turned back to her table and hummed the tune of a Muggle song that Sirius had never heard before.

Sirius was truly mad now and, just as Isabella was going to drop in a pinch of powdered bicorn horn into the phial of Tentacula venom, he pushed it down making the it leak all over the table.

"Oh my GOD, Sirius!" she cried and looked up furious. But Sirius seemed to have his tongue in his cheek and was looking elsewhere, feigning innocence.

"Oh, REAL mature Sirius, _real_ mature!" she yelled before punching his arm as hard as she could. Unfortunately, Sirius seemed to feel nothing but, Isabella let out a low howl and bent over, clutching her hand in pain.

Chuckling at his childhood best friend, he bent down and held her by her arm and tried to bring her up, saying, "Awww, come here, you!" but she angrily pushed him away saying, "Get away from me, Sirius!" making him (and Remus) laugh even harder.

"Look, at what you've done! I spent the last _quarter_ of an hour trying to extract the venom and you've RUINED it!" Isabella scowled at him and looked over at Remus who was still laughing. "Having a good laugh, are we?!" she let out.

Choking a bit from all the laughter, Remus regained his composure and said, "Izzy, come on, we still have the rest of the hour to concoct that potion out. I mean, honestly, half the class hasn't even come near to pulling the root out of the pots as yet. You're awesome," he said with genuine admiration and also, in an attempt to distract her (Sirius gave him a thumbs-up, as if to say, _Way to go, mate!_ ).

It seemed to work because, she immediately looked at him for a second longer, and, without another word turned right back to her table and started wrestling with the plant one more time, steadily turning pink by the second.

For the next ten minutes, both Remus and Isabella worked on the plant when one of the plant's roots wound itself around Remus' right hand, and threatened to cut off all blood supply to his face. Exhausted, Remus looked around for help and spotted Sirius, who was leaning over at a nearby table and flirting with a couple of Hufflepuff girls. Remus and Isabella exchanged glances before sending out yellow sparks flying at Sirius's butt to get his attention.

"WHAT?!" he cried out and turned around to find Remus and Isabella bent over and laughing their heads off. "I can NOT believe you just _did that_!" he cried out and roughly put his right hand around Isabella's neck and started rubbing the top of her head, like he always did when they played around as kids near Grimmauld Place.

"BLACK, WILLIAMS! You two just earned detention for the rest of the week! Now, if you don't want me to make that TWO weeks, I suggest you bring me that potion concocted to perfection before the END OF THIS CLASS!" Spout bellowed.

Surprisingly, Isabella and Sirius found that quite amusing and bit back an urge to burst out laughing. Harry, who was silently watching this whole thing pan out, thought the two of them looked absolutely brilliant together. For the first time, in years, Harry felt the two childhood best friends become friends again – just as they may have been before Hogwarts. At that point, Harry wished he'd be able to meet her in person. _Maybe, I'll try locating her sometime once I'm done here,_ he thought to himself.

A slow breeze blew over Harry as the greenhouses gently dissolved into another memory...

 **6:00 PM  
** _Same day..._

Harry was standing in the Gryffindor common room now. The room was in an uproar, throwing him momentarily into a state of bewilderment before things started to clear up: the news of Ornelle getting dumped and of Sirius and Isabella's mystery relationship seemed to have come a full circle.

All the boys were wolf-whistling in Sirius's direction in total admiration; James, who was also hooting wildly along with the others, thumped Sirius proudly on the back, making him roll his eyes crossly at him. The girls, on the other hand, were looking rather shocked and angry at what they'd heard through the grapevine. Isabella looked furious as well and shot a glance up at Lily, who was laughing along with her fellow sixth-year friends, Claiborne Jones and Alice Parker (who would later go on to marry Frank Longbottom).

"Izzy, look..." Sirius began, sounding absolutely beat and frustrated, only to be shot at with a murderous glare from her. "Would you just stop and listen for _two seconds_?!" he hissed at her, amidst all the noise and chatter, and held her tightly by her hand, but she merely shook him off saying, " _Not_ in the mood, Sirius!" and stormed away from him. He threw his hands up exasperatedly before sinking back into the brouhaha that ensued in the common room. Harry, on the other hand, was in total awe at Sirius's sense of casual elegance and style, even when he's frustrated as hell.

Without another word, she swung her bag over her shoulder and stormed out of the room through the portrait for her detention with Professor Sprout. A second after she had stepped out, she heard the portrait hole open up again and a roar of _"All the best's"_ and _"Do your thing, man!"_ and _"Go, Sirius!"_ were heard which were casually dismissed by Sirius with a, "Thank you guys, but honestly, please just _stop?!_ " and with that she heard the door shut behind her.

Isabella's heart raced as she started walking briskly away from Sirius, trying to get to the Herbology department as quickly as possible, but Sirius caught up with her.

Panting from all the running, he held her left forearm and roughly turned her around to face him. He motioned her to stop for a second and then held his waist to stop panting. She folded her arms and waited for the Great Sirius Black to catch his breath.

"Izzy, please," he began. She raised an eyebrow at that and tapped her feet, as if asking him to go on.

Still holding her by the hand, he said, "Listen, I only said that to her, in an attempt to get her off my back, I didn't mean to hurt you, Izzy, _please_..." he pleaded.

"Oh!" said Isabella, "So you announced to the _whole school_ that you were _seeing me_ , just so that you can get ORNELLE off your BACK?!" she cried.

Sirius scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Somehow, _this_ piece of information, of him merely trying to ward off Ornelle, seemed to make her _more_ upset than when she found out about him lying about dating her. He looked confusedly at her which made her go, "Argh! Just leave me _alone_ , Sirius!" and stomp off out of the castle.

"Izzy, what in the world is the _matter_ with you?!" he called out before jogging towards her again.

"Listen, Sirius!" she said, stopping in her tracks and turning around. "I don't CARE about your silly girlfriends or about your rotten love life, but I will not _stand_ it if you jeopardize my reputation for _as long as I am here in Hogwarts!_ " she cried. "I've been HUMILIATED and INSULTED and have had to live with all that shame for THREE _fricking_ LONG YEARS thanks to you and your little gang of _arseholes_! I will not make you pull me into your classic game of 'chase and dump' and more importantly, I do not want to go into your long list of 'ONE-NIGHT STANDS'! Whether real or NOT!" she bellowed, and stormed away again, leaving him looking absolutely devastated.

Harry found himself back in the Herbology department, feeling rather proud of Isabella. He was grinning at the sudden turn of events. For the first time ever, it felt like she had the upper hand and Sirius was going to be the doing all the chasing from here on out. He chuckled to himself and was eagerly waiting for Sirius to join them.

Harry saw Sirius walk up to the door, but instead of getting in, he just stood there, looking at her. She was seated on one of the long tables with her parchment and quill out, waiting to hear her punishment from Sprout, who was humming happily under her breath, at the front of the greenhouse.

Sirius hesitated. He seemed to like her a lot in her Muggle clothes: a full-sleeve, grey hoodie which she zipped up to her chest and a pair of blue jeans which made her legs look extra-long and thin. In the Muggle world, she would be considered as one of those truly "sexy" women.

Sirius was about to step in, but took in a deep breath before getting in. He gingerly walked in and chose to sit next to her (a little too closely for that matter). Professor Sprout looked up and, quite happily flicked her wand so that all the floating candles that were arranged around the room lit up.

"Okay, Mr. Black, Ms. Williams, I want you to de-worm every pot in this greenhouse before half past 8 tonight. NO MAGIC," she said before adding, "Oh, and there are about 75 pots in here, so you two better hurry up!" and with that, she left the greenhouse, happily chuckling at her luck.

As soon as Sprout left the room, there was an earth-shattering silence that ensued. Isabella and Sirius stayed put in their seats. Neither seemed to be in any mood to do anything but mope around for the time being. Sirius kept nervously shooting glances at her every three seconds. However, when there was no sign of forgiveness from her, he mutely put his hand around her, pulled her close to him and shook her a little, as if it to say, _I'm sorry_.

But instead of softening up, quite the opposite happened as two fat tears rolled down her face down to her chin which she quickly wiped off with her sleeve. At this point, Sirius genuinely looked heart-broken and wound his hand further down her shoulder and held her more tightly next to him. It seemed like hours before he finally broke the silence.

"Izzy..." he began. "Listen, I'm sorry. For everything..." he whispered in her ears, but she continued to look straight ahead. "Look, I've been an oaf of the highest order and I _don't_ deserve to be forgiven but please don't do this to yourself, I'm not _worth_ it, you know?" he said and looked deep into her eyes. But, when she continued to avoid his gaze, Sirius used his left hand to forcefully turn her face towards him saying, "Izzy, _look_ at me!" through gritted teeth and held her gaze. He saw tears pooling around the corners of her big, orb-like, hazel-coloured eyes and, for the first time, Harry thought he saw Sirius get totally smitten by her. The longer he held her face, the more he fell for her, as her eyes bore into his.

There was nothing Sirius could do to take his eyes off of her while she continued to claw on to his gaze with a hint of accusation in them. Isabella and Sirius were only about ten centimeters away from each other now which seemed to totally intimidate Sirius beyond all expression, but she held on. One more second and Harry was sure the two would have had a spectacular kiss that would've changed their lives forever, but Sirius couldn't take it anymore as he darted his eyes away from her before closing his eyes and letting his forehead rest on hers, breathing heavily. Isabella looked at him even more sadly, as if she was half expecting him to finally understand what she could never tell him to his face. And, though he seemed to understand the flood of her emotions and, also feeling the same for her, it looked like he couldn't let himself fall for it.

" _Sirius, you're being a total cowa..._ " but before she could finish her sentence, Sirius wraps his hands around her, pulls her onto his lap and gives her a tight hug, as if not wanting to face the truth in her words. A slow tear runs down her face. Isabella dismisses it off with one hand and hugs him back. Her figure was so small in front of the broad frame of Sirius that it looked like he could wrap his arms around her _twice_. He buried his face in the nape of her neck and seemed to never want to leave that place, as he comfortably nuzzled against her neck, enjoying her warmth. The chemistry between them was almost gurgling with intensity.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Sirius loosened his grip, _most reluctantly_ , and started to pull apart. However, before fully pulling apart, he presses his lips to her cheek and holds her at arm's length. The two continue to stare at each for a couple of minutes more, exchanging a million thoughts and emotions that eventually go unnoticed. A moment's pause later, a resigned smile creeps up on Sirius's handsome face before he softly asks, "Can we please be friends again?" to which she cheerfully nods her head and the two of them end up grinning at each other.


	6. When Bella Melts Black

**Chapter 6:** **When Bella Melts Black...**

* * *

 ** _Foreword:_** _The intricate details of Sirius's life have not been expressed in his diary, so the following sequences are unknown to Harry. For the sake of continuity of the story, the purpose of this part of the story will be purely to elaborate on how he came about loving Isabella Williams._

* * *

It was 6 o' clock again, and Sirius and Isabella's third detention together in the greenhouse. Quite, surprisingly, Sirius had loved spending time alone with her in the greenhouses. The two of them had gotten really close to each other once again, and to Sirius's utmost disbelief, he was _actually_ learning quite a lot on Herbology from her. After having made them spend 3 full hours de-weeding the pumpkin patch on day-two of detention, Sprout decided to go easy on the two sixth-years on day-three.

Today, their task was to peel the skin off of a box full of Shrivelfig (Sprout _really_ was making full use of this opportunity, but the two sixth-years surprisingly didn't seem to complain much all the same). The two of them stood side by side, slowly working on one fig at a time. Sirius was absolutely ecstatic to be standing there with her, much to his own annoyance. His nervousness was quite evident when he managed to cut himself with a blunt _500-year-old_ knife and drop a whole bag of Shrivelfigs to the floor, which had kept Isabella in splits for _five full minutes!_ Not that Sirius was complaining, of course... Anything to look into those gorgeous, dazzling depths, that were her eyes...

He shook his head in disbelief.

 _WHAT, in the name of Merlin, is_ wrong _with you, Sirius? Get it together,_ he yelled to himself but his face involuntarily turned a deep crimson at the mere thought of the girl next to him. He gave her a sidelong look, and noticed how pretty she looked right now and, in that instant, his stomach gave an squirmed uncomfortably (the good kind).

"How you managed to keep away from talking to me for three whole years, despite being on the same team and spending nearly a _lifetime_ together on the Quidditch field, I'll never know," Sirius said, in a quiet voice, quite out of nowhere, making her look up. He looked deep into her eyes, as if trying to look for answers in those perfect, glass orbs. She turned around and faced him (Sirius noticed the zipper on her peach hoodie pullover was at a slightly lower range today, revealing a hint of her lovely...)

 _Keep it together!_

"You actually _noticed_ the fact that I was ignoring you?!" she asked with a smug expression on her face. "Sirius _Orion_ Black! Should I say, that's progress!" she said, clapping her hands together and feigning astonishment.

"Stop it," he said and playfully slapped her hands away from his face. "Don't you dare _guilt-trip_ me into your crazy theory of my head being the size of _Hagrid's tenders_ so much so that I lost sight of you for all those years again! I'm not letting you talk me into that one, _lady_!"

Isabella merely raised an eyebrow at him which made him go, "Well, not _entirely_ at least-" he trailed off defensively.

"Really?" she challenged, angrily shoving the Shrivelfig back into her pile and turning to face him once again. "Tell me, Sirius... Exactly _where_ were you when Alecto set my hair on fire in our second-year? Why were you pointing and laughing at me along with your _buddies_ instead of being _my_ friend there, let alone being my knight in s _hining_ armour?!" she said, her voice steadily rising. "Funnily enough, they weren't even your _friends_! Heck, she was a _Slytherin_!" she yelled, as her face burned up in anger.

Sirius had already started to wonder why he even initiated this whole conversation in the first place; because she was dishing out one good-enough-reason after another, as to why she had chosen to ignore his sorry arse all this while and not ONE of them were even remotely refutable.

"And what's worse," she continued, "it didn't just end with you abandoning me, no. You _had_ to go all the way and think of ways and means to torment me by playing pranks of your own, leaving me _cringing_ in embarrassment while my dignity hung by a thread!" she said and breathed heavily as all the pent up anger finally seemed to fume out through the very pores of her face. "So then, tell me, or rather _enlighten_ me, Sirius, on if it is good enough timing to let you go on that guilt-trip that you oh-so-pompously refused to take, mere _moments_ ago?" she said scathingly.

Sirius, who had hardly been able to meet her eye all this time, suddenly twirled his head to face her, looking stunned.

"It's like you don't even _know_ me anymore!" he said. "Tell me, Izzy," he said, with an air authority and confidence as he (quite unnecessarily) slapped the Shrivelfig out of her hand, swung her by her forearm and pulled her close to him. Sirius did not miss the fact that she was blushing furiously, as she eyed him nervously. "How many other _girls_ do I hunt down and play pranks on?" he asked and raised his eyebrows at her.

Interestingly though, Sirius was steadily, yet unconsciously, starting to lose plot as he realised he and Isabella hadn't stood this close to each other in years now! Isabella, too, looked positively flushed as those determined, grey eyes bore into hers. What's worse though was, instead of arguing on, the two of them ended up simply standing there, staring into each other's depths and drowning in them at the same time, quite forgetting why they came about _being_ in that position in the first place.

After what felt like an eternity, Isabella darted her eyes away from him, finally breaking the spell. Realization dawned on her, but she couldn't bring herself to admit he was right, so ended up defensively staring back him. Sensing the ego that Isabella was currently battling in her throat, he let go of her and pointed a shaky finger at her before saying, " _None!_ No one else, but _you_ ," he said, clenching his jaw. "And, do you know why?" he asked in a quiet voice. He was towering over her at 6'1 so much so that he had to arch his neck to look down at her face.

Isabella was almost asthmatic now, as she felt her pride mount up and implode inside her with every passing second under Sirius's gaze. She blushed furiously and pursed her lips tightly to stop them from curling up into a smile.

As she continued stare at her shoes, though, Sirius mutely cupped her face and forced it up to face him one more time. "Because you _mattered_ ," he whispered. "Because you were the _only_ other person apart from my best friends that I really cared about and because I wanted to get your attention. I bothered you so much because you truly meant something to me, not everyone is as privileged, you know?" he smirked, making her raise mutely her eyebrows at him. "Why, Izzy, why did you shut me off? We needn't have lost all those years not talking to each other, why..." he asked, finally letting her go.

Evidently though, she didn't want to be let go off like that, which was odd, because she spent the last three years _avoiding_ this very person whom she'd so LOVED to hate! Distractedly, she put her hands on her hips and looked up at Sirius, who was leaning on the wooden table with his arms crossed across his chest.

She sighed and simply said, "Because _I_ wasn't your only friend anymore," making him look at her questioningly. "Sirius, I've been alone all my life, save the few years I got to run around the quiet lanes around our homes in Islington with you. Never had friends, and even if I did, they were all so unbelievably _mean_ to me. When I got here, though, I was happy that I had you to keep me company only to realize I was wrong. You made new friends, you got a whole new life and... I started to fade away in the backdrop... I was just some _girl_ you grew up with. You may have _watched_ over me, Sirius, but you were truly _not there_ ," she finished.

At this point, Sirius thought he saw her eyes water a little, but before he knew for sure, she turned her gaze back to her bag of Shrivelfig. His heart fell. How could he have let this happen to his _best_ _friend_? The one person who ACTUALLY gets him without him ever having to explain himself? The person he's well... _loved_ all his life? He stood up, held her shoulder, and slowly turned her around to face him again (he realized just _how thin_ she'd gotten and how her bones almost threatened to break if he even slightly tightened his grip on her!).

"Izzy, I'm sorry for well—not being there for you, I—I'm sorry I got carried away with James and the boys but—do you _honestly_ NOT remember the times when I came running after you, trying to patch things up between you and me _at all_?" he said, sounding slightly hurt.

"But, you were so _ashamed_ of me, nonetheless!"

"Blimey, Izzy, _honestly?!_ "

"Yes!" she yelled. "Sirius, had it not been for Lily, I would still be that dumb, clueless, muggle-born waltzing the corridors of Hogwarts failing every subject that was ever taught here! If not for Claiborne, I would still be that ugly, fat cow that you and James made fun of all through 2nd and 3rd years and... if not for Quidditch, I would never have shed all that weight! Now, had I been the same old Isabella, would you have still looked forward to spending a whole week's detention with m..."

" _Hell_ , yes," he responded, before she could even finish asking the question. "Are you honestly this _blind_? Have you noticed _nothing_ , Izzy?" he asked, cranking up the accusation in his tone. " _Every_ time we won a match, _you're_ the first person I look for to celebrate my victory with. Back in second-year, when Gryffindor won against Hufflepuff, did you notice me calling out your name as you turned your back on me because of that _pig_ , Claire? Haven't you noticed me kicking Lucius's butt every time he so much as _breathed_ on you during our matches? Every time I'm snogging a girl, it bothers me when _you_ walk in on us. Heck! Do you _NOT_ realise I'm trying to chat you up even as you stand there _looking_ at me?!" he said, hushing up a little a clenching his jaw.

" _WHAT...?_ " she asked, as if hit by a bolt of lightening.

A moment passed. Sirius couldn't believe he had actually said tha— _out loud._ Isabella didn't quite know how to react as she simply stood there rendered completely speechless. "You're _what...?_ "

"Nothing... Nothing, forget that I said anything," he said defensively, while taking a few steps away from her.

"Sirius?!"

" _What?!_ " he yelped, throwing his hands in the air.

"Could you _please_ grow up for TWO SECONDS and tell me what's going on...?"

He huffed loudly and looked like he'd been caught red-handed with something. Isabella saw his hands quivering with nervousness as he contemplated on whether or not he should tell her the truth. Finally, he hung his head defeatedly and looked up only to say, "I do... I... I fancy you..." he muttered.

Isabella's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?" she said, looking beyond shocked. "You do...? Since... _when?_ But... _You such a_ knobhead _to me...!_ "

" _Only_ because... I..." he sighed, and paused for a bit to gather up the courage to finish his sentence, "because I was _mad_ about you..." he whispered, clenching his jaw one more time. "I may have been an IDIOT the whole bloody time, but that's only because you were always on the back of my mind _all the time_! I think about you when we're in the exam hall taking our O.W.L.'s, I think about you when I'm playing a prank on someone with the boys, I think about you during lunch, I think about you when we're in the Quidditch pitch, I think about you pretty much ALL. THE TIME! I never let my sight off of you, Izzy. NOT for one second," he said and looked down at his shoes, positively turning crimson around his ears now. "Don't ever say I wasn't there for you..." he said, simmering with hurt.

Isabella bit back a retort and before she could stop herself, the words were out of her mouth. "Well, you're not the only one, you know?" she said in a low voice, making him look up confused.

He narrowed his eyes as she shifts uncomfortably next to him. Before he could say anything, Isabella said the oddest thing ever: "You remember that time, in our second year when you and James stole the Transfiguration test papers from McGonagall's office?"

Sirius looked up, perplexed. "Er... Yeah?" he said slowly, as his face contorts under the weight of his confusion.

"Well," she continued, "I overheard Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore discussing the matter, and McGonagall said, if she ever found out the student responsible for this, she'd have them expelled," she paused. Flabbergasted, Sirius inched closer towards her, positive that he was _NOT_ going to like what she's about to say.

"Izzy, wh... What did you _do_?" he asked, almost hyperventilating at the thought.

"I, well... I went into her office and lied saying _I_ stole the question paper," she stopped and looked up at Sirius, who looked like he'd just been slapped in the face. She could almost feel his hot breath against her cheek which sent shivers down her spine. "You see..." she continued on, sounding more nervous than anything else. "At that point I didn't care if I stayed or left Hogwarts—"

A shudder ran down Sirius's spine as he grabbed her by her hands and pulled her closer to him. " _Izzy, you shouldn't have!_ " he hissed, while overrun with love for her.

"It was nothing, really," she breathed as she stood there with his hands tightly gripping her arms. Their faces were inches away from each other now. "Sirius, I..." she paused to look at him melting under her gaze. She felt him wrapping his arms entirely around her now, waiting for an explanation. "You were my _best friend..._ " she whispered, making him shut his eyes angrily for a brief moment before fluttering them open again; he had had _enough_! "I couldn't let anything to happen to you _..._ "

Sirius felt his anger mount inside of him as he glared daggers at her. "But it's okay if something had happened to you," he fumed sarcastically. "Do you realise I'm a goner without you? Honestly, do you _ever_ think of me?!" he asked, as he held closer than ever.

She stared back at him. "That's the problem... I always think of y..." but before she could finish, she found his angry lips engulfing hers, instantly silencing her.

At first she was so taken aback that she almost resisted him. Big arms wrapped tightly around her waist and she felt her legs momentarily leave solid ground. As his lips kissed hers again and again, Isabella felt herself eventually giving in to him.

Sirius felt his emotions for her deepen as he continued to kiss her like the Sun wasn't going to rise tomorrow: hungrily... passionately... He felt her hands slowly working up his body and curling around his neck. He pulled her closer until he was pressed hard against her. However, the effect of having her voluminous curves driving into his body was too much at first that he broke off the kiss to collect himself. By then, Isabella had started kissing his neck which made him squirm uncontrollably before attacking her lips again to make her stop.

The kiss advanced, and he pushed her up against the wall and hugged her tight so that they were perfectly aligned from the waist below. Isabella let a low moan as she felt his full weight on her body. Without warning, he winds his hands around her, lifts her up and pulls her zipper down just a little using his teeth so that, more of her skin is exposed making her gasp with worry. The black, lace bra that she'd worn almost drove him insane for a second as he buried himself inside her and plundered on her mounds. Isabella was so caught between wanting it all to stop and yet, _not_ wanting it all to stop, that all she could do was hold his head while he caressed and kissed every inch of her exposed chest as was possible.

And, just when she thought she was going to shoot through the roof, she felt him kiss her one last time before dropping her down again. They were both breathing heavily while continuing to hold on to each other. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes in an attempt to recover from the momentary loss of control on his emotions.

His face was beaming and flushed with a flood of emotions as he held onto her. Slowly, very slowly, he slipped his hands inside her sweater, just a little while kissing her collar bone, chin and neck again. His hands slowly moved up, feeling every rib and every inch of her boiling, hot skin as she wound her arms around his neck. However, his hands stopped in their tracks when they hit the edge of the fabric, and ran along the length of the seam instead, as if contemplating on whether to go further up or not.

It was obvious she wanted him to when she involuntarily arched forwards into his chest, making it that much more difficult for him to stop himself. He dug his face into the nape of her neck as his fingers continued to run along the edge of her mounds before finally blanketing her breasts entirely. She let out a loud gasp as he got lost in a world that was just ALL about Isabella. He was so nervous and _so taken_ by her that, he refused to meet her eye for a long time by sticking to kissing her cheek and neck the whole time... But one thing was for sure: he _loved_ her, he really, _really_ did. Never before has _anyone_ had this effect on him, _ever_.

Finally, he gathered up enough courage to pull back a little and look straight into her eyes.

Reality sinks in.

Both of them immediately turned a deeper shade of red, as if they weren't already looking like tomatoes right now. Isabella shook her head in denial and started to wriggle out of Sirius's grip which made him go, "Oi, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hey... Izzy, wh—where are you... what happened?" he whispered and pulled her back into a _tighter_ embrace so that their noses were touching.

"Sirius, let go, I..."

"Izzy, _don't_ do this, _don't_ lie to yourself..." he pleaded, before kissing her on the forehead.

"Sirius, honestly," she breathed, as he planted little kisses along her face, making her swoon into oblivion. Jerking back to reality again, she reluctantly put her hands between them and tried to break up from his iron grip. "Sirius wh... What are you... What is this, really? I don't want be your girlfriend number _nineteen..._ "

"I love you," he blurted out, looking straight into her eyes. He circled his hands around her naked back as he pulled her closer. "I've loved you, I always have..." he breathed as they continued to stare back at each other. "You move me, Izzy. You take my breath away..." he breathed, resting his forehead against hers. "It's not a game," he said, with his eyes closed. "With you... it never was," he sighed and swooped down to kiss her once more. Isabella stood there, melting in his hands as he kissed her again with more passion when they were suddenly interrupted.

Footsteps...

 _'...she ought to be in there, I'm positive...'_ came a voice from a distance.

 _'You sure about that, Goyle? I wouldn't want to walk all the way to the greenhouses for nothing, now...'_ came another sneer.

 _'They were punished, of course they're in the greenhouses...'_ came the reply.

 _'Quick, how do I look?'_ the second voice spoke again.

 _'Fantastic'_ the boy said, although not sounding entirely honest.

Sirius and Isabella exchanged confused looks and, before anyone could even say something, the doors to the greenhouses burst open and two tall figures stood at the entrance. At first, there wasn't enough light, so they couldn't make out the shapes of the two uninvited guests who seemed to have stopped dead in their tracks upon looking at the scene that invited them. Sirius only then realized the two of them were still wrapped around each other with his hands inside her sweater, and started to slowly untangle himself from Isabella.

"Well, well, well," came a voice from the entrance.

Sirius quickly stepped in front of Isabella and put a protective hand around her, as if, half expecting to be incarcerated by the two silhouettes at the door. The boy who had spoken up first stepped in and the dull light from the candles lit up his face: Lucius Malfoy.

To Sirius, Malfoy looked ridiculous, with his hair combed back and plastered around his skull, wearing black velvet robes and a bow-tie to complement it. He was also holding a very large, and ugly-looking Asphodel flower in his hand and, in all honesty, looked like he was going to a funeral.

" _'Well, well, well'_ yourself, mate," said Sirius, biting back the urge to burst out laughing. "Getting out our Halloween costumes already, I see," he said, this time grinning broadly.

Goyle, clenched his hand and stomped his foot hard on the stone floor, as if sending out a warning signal to shut up, but it unfortunately made Sirius want to break out laughing even more. Isabella shot him an annoyed look before turning back to look at Lucius and his dying flower.

"Wh... What is it, Lucius, what's happened?" she asked, still sounding very distracted and red in the face. "Are you here to see me?" she said, suspiciously eyeing the flower in his hand.

Lucius ground his teeth as he glared straight into Isabella's eyes. It looked like he was both angry and hurt at the same time.

"It's nothing," he spat out and threw the flower to the floor. "Let's go, Goyle!" he ordered and swung around at the speed of light.

"Lucius!" she called out, and jogged towards him. "What's the matter, why do you look so annoyed?" she said, smiling uncertainly. "I mean, aren't you a little early? I thought we were going to meet sometime after my detention..."

"Of course you wanted to meet _after_ your detention!" he spat out sarcastically. "Wouldn't want any interruptions, now, would we?" he said, pointing in Sirius's direction. Sirius merely shrugged and put his hands out in defense, as if to say, he's in no way involved in this situation.

"Lucius, what are you _talking_ about?" she asked, shocked by his insinuation. "Have you _completely_ lost it up there?" she yelled, pointing at her head.

"Oh, what would you know?!" he hissed, seething with disgust and rage. "You know what, I can't do this anymore..." he said, darting his eyes away from hers and backing away a little before changing his mind and moving closer to her again. "Honestly? Of ALL the disappointments I've had to face in my life, Bella you'll probably be the _worst_ of them all..." he said, glowering at her.

Sirius immediately stepped next to Isabella and pulled her away from Lucius, sporting an equally dangerous grit on his face as Lucius was. "Easy there, mate, you _don't_ want to overstay your welcome..." he said through gritted teeth.

Isabella, who was incredibly taken aback at Lucius's outburst, wrung her hand out of Sirius's grip and stepped in between Lucius and Sirius again. "What is UP with you, Lucius?! Why are you yelling..."

" _Because I thought you were different!_ " he yelled back. "Bella, I had such high regards for you!" he spat out. "I really looked up to you, you know? In my head, you were that girl that I had to _earn._ You were that girl who was worth all the fight, all my _attention_!" he said.

"Er..." Sirius cleared his throat, making them break eye-contact and turn to look at him. Going by the expression on Sirius's face, Isabella knew Sirius was going to make THE MOST inappropriate remark ever ANY second now. And he did. "Not trying to get in the way of true love or anything, _Lord_ Malfoy, but _we_ ," he said, pointing to himself and Isabella, "were in the middle of something _insanely_ important to my tenders, so you mind...?"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Isabella and Lucius at the same time, Isabella sporting a look of embarrassment while Lucius merely looked repulsed.

His nostrils flared as he breathed heavily and glared back at her, his face teeming with disappointment. "I thought you were my friend, I thought you were _different_ from all the other girls, but NO! You're all the same, aren't you?!" he bellowed, pointing at Sirius.

"Hey, what is THAT supposed to mean?" yelled Sirius, pretending to be hurt.

"SIRIUS?!" yelled Isabella, looking daggers at him but he clearly seemed to enjoy showing Lucius who was boss.

Lucius merely looked between Sirius and Isabella and grimaced even more. "Really, _him_?" he asked a quiet voice, a hint hurt playing in his eyes, as he stared disbelievingly at Isabella. " _Hagwhore..._ " he muttered.

That did it.

Sirius shot a murderous look at Lucius and put a firm hand on his chest. The two boys glowered at each other and both Isabella and Goyle stared on helplessly as the other two got into a full-blown stare down contest. Sirius was clearly a couple of inches taller than Lucius and towered over him making him seem more intimidating.

"You take that back," Sirius said, in his most dangerous and sinister tone ever. "You take that back or I'll make sure I crush that face of yours so much you won't even recognize it..." he said, nudging him painfully in the ribs.

"Sirius, stand down!" yelled Isabella, only to be royally ignored by His Highness.

Lucius merely smirked. "Oh, she's all yours now," he said, smiling stupidly. "I'm never taking back a _hagwhore_ that's got _your_ scent all over..."

But Goyle and Isabella never got to hear the rest of the sentence as an enraged Sirius had all but gone all bullish on him as he punched Lucius squarely in the face, breaking his nose altogether! All hell broke loose when Lucius _Stupefied!_ him, making him get thrown on the stone floors. He went running daggers towards Sirius and had every intention to pound his face out of recognition when Goyle and Isabella intervened and dragged him away from Sirius and threw him on the other side.

"Lucius, you have GOT to go! NOW!" shrieked Isabella. Anger and rage burned through her pupils as she glared wide-eyed at the two Slytherin boys. "Don't ever even _think_ about talking to me ever again," she said, in a quiet voice. "Leave. _Now._ "


	7. Rise of The Dark Lord

**Disclaimer: Like I've always said. Not mine. It's all JK's. Would really appreciate it if you guys reviewed. Thanks for reading though. Please, please, please review! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:** Rise of The Dark Lord

* * *

A gust of wind and blinding light later, Harry was thrown back out of Sirius's memories and he was standing in his kitchen back at The Burrow. It was still very dark and still very early (time stops when one goes down another's memory lane) back in Devon. Harry heard footsteps and in came George.

He was surprised to see Harry sitting on the kitchen counter, sipping hot chocolate.

"Harry, seriously?! Wife kept you up all night, huh?" he sniggered only to be pelted at with bread crumbs off of Harry's plate.

"Your SISTER, you know?" Harry said grinning broadly. "Just saying, she… Is still your sister, thought I'd remind you," he added passing George another glass of chocolate milk that Harry conjured up.

And then, suddenly a thought struck Harry. He looked up and said, "George, do you know exactly when Tom Riddle had risen to power before his first fall?" he said and, going by the look of horror on Harry's face, George grimaced and bit back a wisecrack that came to his head instantly upon hearing Tom's name.

"Well, to my knowledge, the first Muggle killings had taken place in the year 1976. But, apparently, Voldy had been gaining power, and rumours of the existence of a 'Dark Lord' had begun doing the rounds, since '73 itself. At least that's what dad told me. Why do you ask, Harry?" he added, getting slightly nervous at how pale Harry's face was.

"Did you say, 1976?," asked Harry and then went stone cold. All Harry did was stare into blank space and mouth some words that George couldn't comprehend.

"Mate, is everything okay?" he asked and roughly shook Harry by shoulder, as if trying to shake him out if is reverie.

"George, I need to know what happened," he blurted out. "I'll be right back," he said, and hurriedly went over to the kitchen table and pulled his quill out and scribbled: "What happened to Isabella?" ( _"Isabella? Who is that…?" asked George more to himself_ ).

To George's utter disbelief, he saw the words disappear and new words appear on the parchment. _"I think you already know, Harry."_

Harry stood there transfixed and looked up at George. Before he could say anything, newer words were appearing on the page: _"Come, Harry. You need to know."_

A blinding light engulfed Harry once more, and this time, he let himself fall into Sirius's memory reluctantly. Harry hit solid ground and was standing at the entrance of the castle. In front of him, he saw Sirius and Isabella returning from the greenhouses, hand around each other, looking extremely happy to be each other's company. But Harry heard footsteps behind. He turned around and saw James running straight at Harry. Before Harry could get out of the way, James had run into him. Harry had expected to be knocked down, but his father merely ran right through him and reached Sirius and Isabella.

At first, James surveyed the two of them and a wide smile broke out on his face and, before Sirius could say anything, he grabbed his best friend into tight, manly hug.

"So, finally grew the balls to tell her, eh?" he said to Sirius, grinning broadly (Isabella raised her eyebrows, looking amused).

Sirius, initially looked uncertain of what to say, but then, decided to say, "Yeah, mustered up the courage at long last, I reckon!" he said grinning at Isabella over James' shoulder.

"Ah, thank _god_! I didn't think I could stand another _year_ listening to your love-sick stories!" he said laughing loudly.

James released Sirius (who was blushing furiously and looked like he could have ripped James' head right off for ratting him out like that), turned to look at Isabella and said happily, "Welcome to the family, Izzy!"

She grinned happily and put her hand out. James looked at her hand and then gave a sidelong glance at Sirius as if to say, _She's kidding, right?_ before turning back to her and pulling her into an embrace too, much to her surprise! (Harry couldn't stop himself from smiling as he watched his dad finally act _civil_ to Isabella).

James let her go and turned to face Sirius, this time looking slightly worried. "Mate, I need to talk to you. Something's up," he said, suddenly making Harry's stomach jolt uneasily.

Sirius looked at his friend and frowned. "It's Regulus," said James and instantly had Sirius's attention. "Let's walk up to our tower," he said with finality, and without another word, he took Isabella's hand and led her towards the castle as quickly as possible as if the moonlight from above threatened to melt her any time.

Sirius followed the two back into the castle. He couldn't take all this suspense and, once they reached the Entrance Hall, he roughly grabbed at James' shoulder and turned him around. "James, what the bloody hell is going on? What's up with Regulus?! Did he do something to Lily again? I swear, I will rip that twit's head right off!" he yelled through clenched teeth. James, still holding Isabella's hand, jerked his towards the staircase as if to say, _Let's walk and talk._

"Sirius, it's got nothing to do with Lily," said James and briefly stopped in his tracks as if to contemplate on it. "Well, maybe it does, but that's not the point! It's a lot bigger! Haven't you read the papers? Some chap… Calls himself Vol..Demon… or something. Ex-student of Hogwarts and Dumbledore's pet back in the day. Bloke is against half-bloods and Muggles. Thinks it's HIS job to _cleanse_ all of England of its _filth_. Some bollocks about wanting to start over and preserve the _purity_ of the magical world," he said and stopped in his tracks. He pulled Isabella to his left and put a hand around her, as if to shield her from harm. "There have been rumours, mate. Something about him gathering up followers who think he's right. Rumours that there might be students _from Hogwarts_ too joining his clan. And well… About fifteen minutes ago, I heard on the radio that the first Muggle family has been murdered—in Islington," he said looking grim but a hint of anger rising up in his eyes.

All the colour from Isabella's face drained off. Her eyes widened in fear and shock as she whispered, " _Islington?_ " She looked at Sirius, who was rendered speechless himself.

He looked at James solemnly and asked, "So what part does Regulus play in all this?" his face hardening and his hand jaw clenching.

James, uncertain of what to say, looked at his best friend uneasily and said, "Well… Rumour has it he's escaped from Hogwarts. We heard about it around twenty minutes ago, which means he could have escaped a lot earlier on itself."

Sirius looked like he could have punched through a wall. Shock, disgust, anger and fear took turns to play in his eyes as he looked over at Isabella who looked like she would throw up at any time with fear engulfing her. She looked at Sirius, hoping for him to say something, but he just stood there unable to give any kind of reassurance. James, who was watching all this, snapped them back to their senses and continued leading the two towards the Gryffindor tower.

Through the portrait hole, Harry could see the Gryffindor common room had gone unusually grim with fear. Many heads turned as the portrait hole opened and the three of them walked in. Lily, Claiborne and Alice, who were seated in the corner near a window, ran straight towards Isabella and pulled her into a group hug, which instantly washed away all the fear from her face. Lily looked over at James and eyed him, as if to ask, _Have you told her?_ to which he nodded grimly.

Lily let go of Isabella and rubbed her hand to calm her best friend down. "I'm sure it's nothing, Izzy. This may well have been a rumour and need not be anything to be worried about as well. Just… Just know that as long as we're here with you," (she pulled James towards her, much to his utter disbelief), "nothing bad will happen to you, _ever_ ," she said and hugged her again.

James stood there transfixed and held the part of his forearm where Lily had touched. He looked over at Remus and Peter, who quietly thumped him on the back, nodding their heads in agreement, and grinning broadly. Remus looked over at Sirius, with a look of absolute relief and happiness playing in his eyes. He beamed at him as if to say, _At long last, eh?_ to which Sirius responded by grinning broadly and wrapping his hand around Remus' shoulder, giving it a rough shake.

Whilst this bro-bonding was happening in the background, Lily and the girls were discussing what needs to be done next. Lily had suddenly said, "You know, I could send a patronous over to Islington and look after your parents until other arrangements could be done!" squeaked Lily. Alice looked at her best friend, thoroughly shocked.

"You can conjure up your _own_ patronous?!" she cried, glowing at her Lily in amazement and awe.

"Ha! That's nothing!" began James, trying to impress Lily, who shot him a look and did a sweeping motion with her wand. "I could conjure one up, too, you know?" continued James. A white light started emerging out of the tip of her wand. "My patronous is a…" but before he could finish, an ethereal silver doe jumped out of her wand and pranced towards the window, much to everyone's astonishment. "Stag…" finished James, as the doe leapt out of the window and the sliver glow was gone. To James, it looked like Time had stopped for him. Everyone seemed to disappear out of sight. At that point, it was just him and Lily in the middle of the common room. James looked straight at Lily, who was deliberately avoiding his eyes, as she realized the depth behind what had just happened.

James knew in that instant that Lily felt the same way about him too. The other six who were watching this were either looking stunned or giggling under breaths hoping for something magical to happen right that instant. And it did. James, without another word, without a second thought, reached out to Lily and gently pulled her closer.

"A... _Doe_?" he finally asked, as he tilted his head to try and meet her eyes. Lily barely had the courage to admit it to herself, let alone confess it to James. She suddenly found it difficult to breathe and continued to avoid his gaze. But James needed to know. He cupped her face and lifted it. Looking straight into her eyes, he simply asked, "How long?" (Alice, Isabella and Claiborne, stood side by side holding each other, drinking in every second of the legendary _'James and Lily's Moment of Love'_ ).

Initially Harry thought his mother would dismiss the question and brush his dad aside, like she always did. He thought she'd lie about not having feelings for him; she wouldn't admit it in front of so many people at least.

But his jaw dropped when he heard his mother's faint, "Two years…"

That instant, what Harry saw in his father's eyes, that look of pure love, happiness and sense of belonging, was something he would never forget for the rest of his life! Harry thought there could not have been a love as pure as his dad's for Lily; NOT his love for Ginny, NOT Ron and Hermione, not _anything_. He now knew why the pair was so famous for their love story. He now, FINALLY understood how he survived the killing curse. How it was possible to survive that fatal spell. He finally understood just HOW much his parents loved him. How lucky he was to have had that Love, lest he'd be dead, in that cradle. Tears pooled in the corners of Harry's eyes and his dad scooped the lady of his dreams in arms and kissed her like he'd been trapped in Azkaban for over a 100 years; like he'd been allowed to see the Love of his Life ONE LAST TIME.

The girls squealed in happiness, tears running down their faces and they held on to each other more tightly for support. The boys, on the other hand, looked away grinning broadly. Sirius, Harry thought, was welling up slightly. He fondly thumped James on the back as if to say, _Way to go, James. Go get her,_ before wrapping his hands around the pair and hugging them in earnest. The girls broke down entirely at this point and the rest of the friends joined in too, getting into one giant group hug.


	8. Hogwarts Shuts Down

**Disclaimer: You guys know it already. Would love to get some reviews:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:** Hogwarts Shuts Down

* * *

The members in the Gryffindor common were jerked back to reality when the portrait hole swung opened once again and Professor McGonagall marched into the room with a look that seemed to suggest absolute exigency and panic. Without waiting a second longer, she started spluttering out instructions.

"All students are to remain inside the Gryffindor tower until further notice!" she bellowed. "A certain Dark Wizard has risen and the lives of muggle-borns and half-bloods are in GRAVE danger. Students are NOT allowed to go wandering off in the corridors for the sake of their own safety! Everyone is expected to remain indoors, NO EXCEPTIONS! House Prefects, you are to be on duty and ensure EVERYTHING is under control UNTIL you receive further instructions from me!" she said, her steely serious voice booming across the room. The House Prefects mutely nodded their heads and positioned themselves in the centre of the room without further ado.

A chill had swept through the room. All the chatter had died and a look of horror crept up on the students' faces. Finally, she turned towards the group of sixth-years who stood in one corner of the room, and spoke, but this time her voice was slightly softer. _(James suddenly seemed to notice that Peter was nowhere to be seen)._

"Ms. Williams, Mr. Black. The two of you need to follow me to the Headmaster's office. I am afraid we have received grave news," she said and stretched her hand out for them follow her. Sirius froze. Isabella looked shell-shocked and gripped with fear and frantically looked from Sirius to McGonagall and to her other friends, as if half expecting them to know what all this was about. Quite unable to move, she simply stood there in the middle of the room, transfixed with fear.

"What is it, Professor?" asked Sirius; nervousness and fear evident in his voice. But McGonagall merely nodded at him for him to follow her. He slowly turned around to look at the white, fear-ridden face of Isabella and shakily took her hand in his. The Gryffindor common room immediately burst into silent whispers and murmurs as McGonagall and the two made their way out. They mutely followed their Head of House and walked all the way towards Dumbledore's office in deathly silence.

As soon as they reached the stone gargoyle McGonagall said, "Lemon Drop" and the Griffin statue started to spiral upwards. McGonagall refused to even turn and look upon their faces as they silently ascended the stairs. Harry followed them inside. A much younger, less grey Dumbledore sat there behind his desk with a grim expression. His were hands in front him resting on the table.

Upon seeing them come in, Dumbledore nodded at them with an expression that was quite unreadable. "Isabella, Sirius, please take your seats," he said pointing to the chairs in front of him. He surveyed them for a minute before continuing. "What I am about to say may come as a shock to the both you, but I request your full attention for the next 5 minutes as I brief you on the latest developments," he said and waited until he had their full concentration. "The two of you may be well aware of the facts, but I feel obliged to elaborate on them all the same. You may have read in the papers about terror spreading across the north of England. Some believe the rumours, others dismiss it, claiming the whole thing to be a sham. However, I am afraid, the rumours of such a wizard _is,_ in fact, true.

"Hogwarts once had a student by name Tom Riddle. He was the brightest student Hogwarts has ever had and I knew right then that he was destined for greatness, and greatness he _did_ achieve, but the wrong sort, most unfortunately. These days, he goes by the name of Lord Voldemort who has vowed to _'purify'_ the magical community by eliminating half-bloods and Muggle-borns. I, however, have reason to believe that this hatred is mostly driven by his bitter childhood experiences and, though, he now has officially become a threat to innocent lives, there still is goodness in him. Deep down somewhere," he said, and suddenly looked sullen. A moment's pause later, he looked up again and continued.

"That being said, I however, still need to bring to your notice that Voldemort has been gathering up followers over the course of time; followers who seem to call themselves _Death Eaters_ ," he said and looked straight into Sirius's eyes. "Now, in my opinion, the safest place for young wizards and witches such as yourselves would, indeed, have been Hogwarts; except it is not anymore. I have a strong feeling that many of the followers of the Dark Lord are here with us, _inside_ Hogwarts," he said, and rubbed his temple.

Sirius and Isabella looked beside themselves with fear. Dumbledore watched him for a second longer and sighed before speaking up again.

"Sirius, your brother _Regulus_ , I suspect, is one of them," he said, sending shivers down Sirius's spine. ( _Harry thought Sirius looked like he was ready to bolt out of the office any minute and hunt his brother down_ ). "Professor Slughorn reported to me about an hour back that the boy was missing and, minutes later, we received graver news," he said and this time, turning towards Isabella. "Isabella, my dear, I do not know how to pass this news on to you, but it has to be done," he said, gently placing his hand over hers. "I want you to be brave from this second on," he said, as she let out a loud sob. Her face was twisted with fear. She began to shake a little as Dumbledore opened his mouth again, "My dear, your house has been attacked," Dumbledore paused so that she is able to absorb this piece of information. "We believe a couple of Death-Eaters showed up at your house and… Isabella, your parents were murdered." Sirius's jaw dropped. He tightened his grip on her hand as he sat there stunned.

Isabella went completely white; it looked like her fears had actually come true. Her breaths were fast and shallow as her eyes welled up with fat tears. Dumbledore gently patted her hand and looked grief-stricken himself. Slightly shaking, she leaned forward and managed to say, "P-P-Profes-s-or, what about my sister?" she finally asked, as fat tears rolled down her cheek.

"Angela, you mean?" he asked sympathetically. "Well, my dear, at first I couldn't believe what I'd heard but… It looks like help was sent to her mere moments before the little girl may have been attacked. A patronous was sent to her aid and guided her to safety. She is safe, Isabella. We have already sent a search party to bring her here," said Dumbledore, as Isabella let out a sigh of relief.

"But, m-my parents are… They're… Are they really…?" she spluttered out.

All Dumbledore could do was stare back at her with a heavy heart and quietly nod at her. Isabella looked shattered as tears flowed down her face.

"Professor, what I am going to do?" she whispered, amidst tears. "What did my family do to _anyone_?!" she spluttered, shuddering uncontrollably from head to toe. It looked like she was still not convinced this was even happening for real. " _Please_ tell me this is not true, professor!" she wailed. "I wouldn't know what to do with my parents! Why is this _happening_ to me?" she demanded as she collapsed on the table, crying miserably.

"Wizards like Voldemort, do not need a reason, my dear," said Dumbledore as he gently patted her head. "Although, I suspect _your_ house, in particular, was chosen as Regulus was aware of your… _'_ _closeness'_ to Sirius?" asked Dumbledore, giving Sirius a knowing look. Horror-struck, Isabella looked up while Sirius turned a deep shade of red around his ears. He looked mutely from McGonagall and Dumbledore not quite knowing how to react to this situation.

"B-but Professor, er… There's… There's nothing going on…" he spluttered. "I mean… Nothing until just a few _days_ ago at least…" he said slowly, not having the courage to meet his Headmaster's eyes. "I mean… Professor, we weren't even _friends_ with each other for over three years and… we barely ever even _spoke_ to each other in all this time! In fact, I managed to convince her to… to barely TALK to me, just _days_ ago! How… I mean, no one even knows we're friends now, Professor, not even our very close friends… How could Regulus POSSIBLY know about Izzy and me?" he asked shakily.

"Not everyone can be trusted, my boy. Can you think of anyone who might have known of your… _situation_ with Ms. Williams, who might betray you?" he asked silently. ( _McGonagall went up to console Isabella, who was crying uncontrollably, and led her away, while Dumbledore and Sirius continued_ ).

After a moment's pause, Sirius replied, "NONE Professor! They're all my friends! The best! I… I have a feeling we were spied on by somebody else… I bet it is Lucius, that blood-sucking, little pig!" he spat, as he angrily kicked his chair backwards.

"Sirius, you are to stay with Isabella and ensure she is out of harm's way at all possible times," declared Dumbledore. "And if I may add, please do not take decisions in haste, going forward. More importantly, no heroics for sometime… If not for anything, for Isabella's sake," he added. "We will find Regulus and bring him right back to school. Show him some love, my boy. If there's one thing I trust entirely on, it's that… Love can heal anything," he said as Sirius let out a bark like laugh. "Get some rest now, Sirius," Dumbledore dismissed him off.


	9. Darkness Falls

**Disclaimer: JK owns everything!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:** Darkness Falls

* * *

Sirius kept muttering under his breath as made his way back to the common room. His face was scrunched up, deep in thought.

 _"How did they find out about us_ _? Did someone notice us in the greenhouse? Could it be one of the girls?_ _Who could it be…? Severus…? Lily is pretty close to that swine; he's a major suspect. Lucius is another… Bella. That b****! It must be her… She's always kept an eye on me…"_

"Good Merlin!" he exclaimed in frustration.

Harry's blood boiled at the thought. _That_ rat _ruined not one, but TWO friends' lives! Argh, if only I could go back in time, change it all!_ He thought miserably. _Goddammit!_

Sirius suddenly stopped in his tracks. There was deep sorrow in his face. His face suddenly looked tender, older and ridden with sadness. " _Regulus_? Really?" he asked to himself in the smallest voice possible. But he eventually shook it off and made his way to the Gryffindor common room.

He opened the portrait hole and clambered in and was instantly taken by surprise by the scene that followed. It was bustling with students from every year, all in their pajamas. Sirius and Harry could hear the clinking of glasses and plates. Pillows and bedspreads were strewn across the carpeted floors. Owls were flying in and out the windows. House prefects were throwing out orders to the first, second and third years to align themselves to one of the corner of the room while the rest of the sixth and seventh year students maintained a log of every student in their House and worked on the logistics.

"Anna, Colin! You two need to go check out the bathrooms and see if we have missed out anyone else from the second and third year," ordered Lily, looking rather stern. A second later, however, her eyes fell on a frazzled-looking Sirius standing at the entrance and her face lit up immediately.

"Your patronous saved the day, you know?" he said quietly even as she hurried towards him and threw her arms around his shoulders.

"I am so sorry I didn't get there on time, Sirius!" she said, her eyes wide with guilt. "I shouldn't have waited until James found you two and brought you both here, I should have acted much, MUCH earlier, I..."

"Lily, stop it. Are you _really_ going to take responsibility for what happened?" he demanded, looking incredulously at her. "You did _so_ well, Lily, if not for you, she would've lost her sister as well, tonight!" he said, wrapping a protective hand around her. "Give yourself a little bit more credit than that, Lily!" he said, giving her a little side squeeze.

"I feel _terrible_ for her though, Sirius," she said, wiping her face. "She lost her _parents_! And for what, for being born as _Muggles_?! What's the world coming to?" she whispered, looking terrified.

"I know," he sighed, staring blankly ahead as Mrs. Williams' face flashed before his eyes. Fighting back the tears that prickled the corners of his eyes, he looked around at the chaos that ensued around them.

"You were close with her family too, weren't you?" Lily asked, looking sadly at him.

He shook his head in disbelief, still quite unable to accept the fact they were _dead_.

Gone!

"She was like a second mother to me," he replied at long last, almost choking at the end. The pain in his throat was mounting with every passing second. "I could tell her anything under the sun. In fact, she was the first person who knew about my er... massive thing for Izzy," he smiled bitterly. "Every time I hurt Izzy, I used to write to Mrs. Williams, asking her what I had to do to make it right," he chuckled, making Lily flash a watery smile as well. "And she _always_ knew the right thing to say... God, what am I going to do without her? What would _Izzy_ do?!" he exclaimed, clutching his hair in frustration. "Speaking of, where _is_ she?"

"She's upstairs in the girls' dorm. I have reversed the charm on the staircase, so you can run upstairs and check on her, if you'd like," she said, and Sirius smiled graciously at her.

"You really are the greatest witch of our age, Lily," he said, oozing with amazement; Lily, though, merely waved him off with a smile.

"Sirius, we'll be okay, right?" she suddenly asked out of nowhere. "We have received at least _sixty_ owls in the last hour from parents of students, asking about their well-being. Some letters reveal more attacks and deaths in some parts of the country. Us muggle-borns are the biggest target…" but she was cut off by Sirius.

" _Stop it._ Nothing's ever happening to you or ANYONE in this school. You can't think like that, Lily! Just… always be on the lookout, and I suggest, going forward, it's best to keep our business to ourselves. We are being spied on… So, please, refrain from talking about anything personal to anyone, including Alice and Claiborne, okay?" he said, giving her a knowing look. She nodded nervously in response and gave Sirius another quick hug before he bounded off anxiously towards the girls' dorms.

When Sirius landed on the sixth-year girls' dorm floor, he found a door to his left slightly ajar. Despite all the rule-breaking he and James had been involved in, they had never once stepped foot into the girls' dorm wing, thus, completely throwing him off his game right now. Shaking off the feeling awkwardness, he tiptoed down the corridor and gingerly knocked on the door. "Izzy, you in there?" he asked softly. There was no answer, but the sounds of someone sobbing uncontrollably could be heard through the door. It broke his heart.

Without a second's hesitation, he pushed the door open and slid inside, only to find Isabella sprawled on the bed clutching a pillow to her chest. A photo frame of her parents lay next to her on the bed.

Blinking back tears of his own, Sirius walked right up to her, bent down and almost effortlessly lifted her off the bed. Tears flooded down her face as she wrapped her hands around him and cried miserably into his neck. "I'm here, baby, I'm right here," he whispered and kissed her cheek before carrying her over to the window. Throwing his legs up, he seated himself on the broad window sill with her on his lap and rocked her slowly in his arms.

Sirius had never seen Isabella cry this much or be this helpless in his whole life that, it scared him a little to see her be _this_ broken over the news. She always took care of herself no matter what; she _never_ needed someone to help her cope with stuff so much that, it had gotten on his nerves on several occasions. But today, it warmed his heart to see that she was letting him see her vulnerable side and was also willing to _let him in_. Finally...

"I am such a bad person..." he heard her mumble into his chest.

"No, you're _not_ ," he said firmly and cradled her in his arms. "You could do no wrong, Izzy, this is _not_ your fault..."

"No, it is," she hiccoughed and dug her face more into his chest. "I am a curse, Sirius... And I killed my own parents!" she cried, making him tear up even more. "Now she's gone and I never even got to apologize to mum for all those times I was mean to her!" she sobbed, her face wet with tears. "What am I going to do without her?! She's… She's _gone_! I have no one to tell me what's right or wrong anymore, Sirius, what _am_ I going to do?!" she cried. "Why did she have to leave me so soon?" she wailed, and looked up at him for answers. Sirius looked at her helplessly with sad eyes and shook his head as if to say, _'Let it go, Izzy,'_ and held her closer to him.

"Stay strong, Izzy," he whispered and stroked her hair comfortingly. "You need to stay strong for Angie, at least. She needs you. She's still too young to cope on her own and she needs her big sister," he said, looking into her watery eyes. "Will you do that? Can you be strong for Angie's sake?"

Isabella nodded resignedly. They fell silent for a moment and stared into the night, with Isabella resting her head on his chest.

"I was going to go to Kenya with dad this holidays, you know?" she sniffed sadly and a fresh set of tears rolled down her eyes.

"Baby, please don't do this to yourself," he stressed again, and kissed her forehead. The full weight of her loss was finally dawning on Sirius as he held her in his arms and watched her mourn the death of her parents. One second, they were in the greenhouse brimming with happiness, and the next, something _this_ terrible happens…

"You're not alone, Izzy, you'll never be alone, _not_ when I'm around!" he said, rubbing the side of her face. "It's going to be fine..." he said, making her wrap her hands around him in gratitude.

For the next several minutes, he kept muttering sweet nothings into her ear and kissed her tears away and she finally fell into a peaceful slumber. And Sirius, for his part, wanted nothing more than to be sitting there with her on this window sill, watching her sleep like there was NOTHING wrong with the world around them.

A few minutes later, however, the door to the dorm opened a little and in came, Claiborne. She stepped in uncertainly and found Sirius with Isabella on the window.

He motioned for her to come on over and she walked in, as quietly as possible.

"Sirius… James, Remus and a couple of other boys from other Houses have been working closely with McGonagall and Binns and have reported that several students, mostly from Slytherin are missing, including your cousin, Bellatrix. Izzy's family may have been the first victim but there could be other attacks. The boys need you," she said anxiously, and Sirius nodded.

"Where's Peter?" he asked, a look of worry crossing his face. "And don't worry, Clay," he muttered, silently. "We will end this. We will fight back."


	10. The Gloom Of War

**mwinter1:** I had originally put up two other chapters with a much more elaborate storyline but I have modified it and clubbed them together in the hope to stick to the plot and not go astray. Hope you like this one! Please also tell me what you think of each chapter so that I can improve!

 **Followers and Favorites:** Thanks a lot, you motivate me to keep going:)

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! Everything is owned by JK.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:** The Gloom Of War

* * *

Lily walked into the dorm a minute later and beckoned Sirius and Claiborne to join her downstairs in the common room. "Sirius, Claiborne, something's up, come on!" she said and the three of them (Isabella still asleep on Sirius' arms) head down.

Sirius carefully laid Isabella on one of the couches and joined the boys at the entrance to the common room. James and Remus along with a bunch of other boys from the other Houses seemed to be discussing something very important. James, was the natural leader and looked grim as never before.

"James, what's going on?" joined in Sirius; Harry right behind him.

"Sirius, mate, we have a situation," said James, breaking off from the conference. "We've checked the log of all the Houses. About 32 students in all are reportedly 'missing' from their common rooms. Most of them from Slytherin. To make matters worse, the list includes a couple of first and second year students from other Houses who are missing too! The Heads of Houses along with the other professors are huddled in Dumbledore's office _completely UNAWARE_ of this situation! I have a bad feeling about this, man. The whole _lot_ could be a bunch of Death Eaters for all you know and we have no way to find out," he finished.

Both James and Sirius stood deep in thought for a minute before Sirius asked, "Have you checked their blood-status?" making James go wide-eyed and point and nod vigorously at Sirius as if to say, _'Good point!'_

Frank, who stood there with a parchment in his hand, looked at the list immediately. "Avery... the Carrows, Black... Dolohov... Gibbon, Rookwood..." he went down the list. "All pure-bloods, mate," he said finally looking up. James and Sirius exchanged knowing looks which looked like their suspicions were confirmed. "Mate, Peter Pettigrew is on the list too," Frank suddenly said, making Remus, James and Sirius look at him with fear dripping from their faces.

"Get the Marauder's map, Remus," said James anxiously. "The bloke disappeared right after McGonagall came in an _hour and a half_ ago!" yelled James. Harry thought he could see a hint of fear on his father's face, making him snort out loud in disgust.

Remus hurriedly turned out his pockets and wrenched the piece of parchment out. Remus, Sirius and James pointed their wands at the parchment and said in unison, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Much to the bewilderment of the other boys and girls around them, the parchment slowly started to reveal the map of Hogwarts and its inhabitants. Most of the dots could be seen huddled together in the four Houses' quarters. However, some stray dots could be seen moving around the castle. Two dots caught the attention of the group: one belonged to Regulus Black who was seen moving around in the Forbidden Forest and other belonged to Peter Pettigrew... _in one of the Slytherin House's bathrooms..._ They were two others with Peter and the labels on those dots read _'Lucius Malfoy'_ and _'Severus Snape'._

"James, mate, Peter's in trouble" said Sirius, grimly. "We've got to get him back," he said, with finality.

" WHAT? Absolutely _NOT_ , we're NOT supposed to leave the tower! " yelled Lily which made Isabella wake up.

" _Not_ leave the _tower_? Lily, you've got to be _joking_!" asked James incredulously.

"James, these are McGonagall's orders! We could get in deep trouble..." but she cut off by James.

"Oh my _god_ , Lily, this isn't some gang war-ish duelling thing that happens between Slytherin and Gryffindor, for _heaven's sake_! Hogwarts is teeming with _Death Eaters_ , Lily! Some lunatic who calls himself the Lord of Death has risen out of nowhere and and goes on a killing spree, people are _dying_ and MISSING! We've received accounts of muggle women being _raped_ and _children_ being tortured and murdered in just the last TWO _HOURS_! These chaps seem to take this Voldemort person _very_ seriously and now, Peter is missing! Merlin knows what he's going through _even as we speak_! I'm not going to stand here and WAIT for some wise-arse wizard to go rescue my best friend," he said, breathing heavily.

Lily merely blinked. Everyone else looked around stunned at James's outburst, especially since it was Lily he was yelling at—the one girl he was _obsessed_ about for six long years.

"You could get hurt too, you know?" she said in a quiet voice.

"So be it, then," he said, and turned away to shield the anger from his face.

" _James!_ " muttered Remus and nudged him in his ribs as if asking him to calm down. Lily, who was looking dumbstruck at how James had spoken to her, suddenly looked grim.

"Fine," she said. "Then I'm going too," she added with finality. The boys all looked at her like she'd finally cracked; gone _completely_ mental. Before anyone could say anything, Isabella stood up and said, "You know what, me too... My parents have been taken _away_ from me! I want in..." she said, anger brimming on her face. Alice and Claiborne too nodded their heads and drew their wands out. "We're in too," said Alice. "The more, the merrier, eh?" she finished grimly.

Sirius looked exasperated and said, "Don't be _ridiculous_ , this is not some night _party_ in the Great Hall! We could get _attacked_ by fellow Hogwarts students! Right here!" but was cut short when the door to the dorm swung open and in walked Arabella Figg along with a rather petrified-looking girl, who looked about 12-years old.

As soon as Isabella saw her, she ran straight towards Angela hugged her little sister. Angela was so happy to see her that she had tears streaming down her face. "I thought you died too, Izzy," she said sniffing loudly.

"Oh Angie, never..." said Isabella, lovingly stroking her sister's face. "Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?" she said, gritting her teeth this time, as the very thought seemed to boil her blood.

"No, Helen, her sisters and I were playing with the silver deer in the backyard of their house," she said, wiping her eyes miserably. "Is it my fault, Izzie? Is it my fault that mum and dad d-..."

"NO!" said Isabella and Sirius at the same time.

Sirius looked at Isabella before kneeling down in front of Angela. He held her hands as he said, " _Do NOT_ , even for a second, think that," he said, looking wide-eyed into her eyes. "It is _NOT_ your fault, good heavens, we are just so glad you're not hurt and that you're all well, Angie, come here!" he said, and wrapped his hands around the terrified little girl. Angela hugged him tight and held on to him as if clinging on to her dear life.

"Listen to me," he continued, looking straight into her watery eyes. "You're safe here, at Hogwarts. No one will EVER harm you, I won't let that happen! Do you understand me?" he asked. Agela wiped her face and nodded. "Good girl! Now, listen. You will be here in the Gryffindor common with the other children and take care of them okay?" he asked, smiling slightly at her.

"I will, Sirius!" she squeaked, wiping her face one more time.

"Good!" said Isabella. "And, if something happens, what do you do...?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at her sister.

"If something happens, I will make the alarm go off on my necklace watch," she said pointing to the locket which was also a watch.

"Good, and I will hear it wherever I am, and we will come to you no matter what! So don't you worry, alright? Now hurry along and always, always, _always_ keep a look out, okay?" she asked and did not turn her attention away from her until she was positive Angela had heard her. Turning towards the boys. "Shall we?" she asked and they all nodded.

Lily turned to the fifth years behind her and said in her most 'I-MEAN-BUSINESS' tone: "You lot are in-charge of this tower. NO ONE from this tower goes missing, you understand me?" she glared at them and they all nodded, wands at the ready. "Xenophilius," she said, looking at a fifth-year student and handed him the clipboard with all the names of students inside in the Common Room. "Hold on to this clipboard for us, will you? If anyone leaves the tower, the name will get wiped off the board so you will know who it is. You're in charge," she said, and the light-haired scrawny boy nodded his head vehemently before taking it from her hand.

With that, the group of sixth and seventh years (James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Lily Evans, Isabella Williams, Frank Longbottom, Alice Parker, Claiborne Jones, Benjy Fenwick, Edgar Bones, Dorcas Meadowes Marlene McKinnon, Caradoc Dearborn and Sturgis Podmore) filed out with a mission on their hands.

"So, where do we begin first? What's the agenda?" asked Alice to Frank.

"First off, I head towards the Forbidden Forest and deal with Regulus," said Sirius and Frank nodded in agreement.

"Good. The rest of us will search the castle for stray students. We try and get as much information as possible for us to work out later. We need to split up and report back in one location at the same time. If one of us doesn't return, we need to sound an alarm. Isabella, do you have more of those clocks that you and your sister have?" Frank asked to Isabella.

"I can conjure up some in a second," she said and within minutes, she held 15 pocket clocks in her hand. "When an alarm goes, the clock will flash gold lights and the hands of the clock will act as a compass. The small hand will point to your location while the big hand will point to the location of the person in danger. This way, we'll know which direction to move in to find them. Just click the side knob to sound the alarm," she finished.

"Great, let's go then!" said James. "And Sirius, I will go with you. Remus, Dorcas, and Sturgis, you guys will find Peter. Oh, and, er... take the girls with you," he said, jerking his head towards Isabella and Lily (Lily and Isabella rolled their eyes at James).

With that, the flashes of Sirius' memory got shorter and Harry witnessed the next set of important events in quick succession. He felt his head beginning to spin as the images flashed and changed rapidly from this point on.

At first, he found himself running beside Sirius and James who were chasing Regulus down in the Forbidden Forest. Harry could hear Regulus yell, "I won't stop until she's dead, Sirius! With her by your side, you'll be deemed a blood-traitor and become an enemy to the Dark Lord! I won't let them hurt you..." he ducked to avoid a spell cast by Sirius. "You're my brother Sirius! You will thank me later!" he called out before disapparating.

A blinding light later, Harry was standing in the hospital wing and several members of the search team lay wounded in beds. Peter lay in one of them. Harry heard Sirius talking to Peter. "Where the _fuck_ were you, Wormtail?! We got so worried!" he yelled.

Peter spluttered for a second and spoke in an unusually high-pitched tone. "S-S-Sirius... Snape cornered me and... and... and tortured me in the Slytherin bathroom for more information about you and Is-I-Izzy... But I refused to speak; refused to say a word and..." but before he could finish, Sirius dismissed him off with a wave of his hand.

There was a gust of wind and this time, McGonagall was addressing the Great Hall full of students. "The search teams led by James Potter and Frank Longbottom, although very, _very_ foolish and misguided, helped rescue 12 students from Death Eaters...!" which was received with a loud applause.

The images changed yet again. Harry was in Dumbledore's office and saw him talking to the search party in his office. "I'm so proud of you all! You helped protect so many students from Death Eaters. You gave parents the confidence that students are safer _here_ in Hogwarts than out there with them. You helped us give students a chance to truly _learn_ how to defend themselves from dark forces. You lot truly are the guardians of your generation. And... that's why... you all have earned a place in the organization that defies Lord Voldemort and his followers. You are all formally recruited into the Order Of The Phoenix... It's time to call upon the ex-students of Hogwarts who are also members of the Order," concluded Dumbledore with a smile as the fireplace went ablaze and in stepped Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Gideon Prewett, Fabian Prewett, Alastor Moody, Arabella Figg, Dedalus Diggie, Elphias Doge and Emmeline Vance.

There was a large cloud of smoke and Harry was transported to yet another memory. This time, however, the images seemed to slow down and Harry found himself standing in the Astronomy tower with Sirius and Isabella.

Isabella's face was red and ridden with shock and sadness. "Sirius, where is this coming from? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?! I thought we were in this _together..._ " he heard Isabella weep.

Sirius looked helplessly at her and seemed equally devastated. "I'm sorry, Izzy... Look," he said. He could hardly face her and seemed to tremble a little as he spoke. "It KILLS me to have to do this myself, but I... I really... Izzy... I can't see you get hurt! I don't _want_ you to get hurt," he said ruefully. He seemed to be fighting a rather large lump in his throat. "Regulus WILL kill you..."

"I DON'T CARE, Sirius! I can't believe you're letting him _DO_ this to you!" she said amidst tears, shaking slightly.

Sirius looked like he was biting back a tear. "I have to do this, Izzy..." he trailed off. "Do take care of yourself for me, okay?" he said, and without another, turned around and left, leaving her looking absolutely shattered. Harry thought he saw Sirius wipe his face as he turned around a corner.


	11. The Silver Lining

**yoga0401: This one's for you, Yoga! :D**

 **Disclaimer: Same as always**

* * *

 **Chapter 11:** The Silver Lining

* * *

It was a warm, pleasant morning in Devon and the silence of the day was broken only by the distant playful laughter of the kids. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together in the backyard, each engrossed in thoughts of their own.

"Was it a difficult decision, Harry?" said Ron, all of a sudden. "Breaking it off with Ginny back in our sixth year, I mean. Was it a tough call?" he asked again.

Harry merely smirked and looked up.

"Tougher than walking into the woods and giving myself up to Voldemort, Ron," said Harry. "Especially after having known her for 6 long years, you know? Somewhere, though I hadn't spoken much to her, nor spent too much time with her, she was always there at the back of my head. And, I didn't realize how I felt about her until I thought I'd lost her to someone else," he added with a small smile. "I thought I was protecting her when I broke up with her, you know?" he said and then thoughtfully added,"But on the day of the battle when I jumped off Hagrid's hand after feigning my own death, the first thing I heard was Ginny's voice. She was screaming with happiness," he added, reminiscently and smiling at the memory. "I knew then that I am NEVER letting her go or doing something like that to her ever again!" he finished and looked up at the two of them.

"You know what's funny, though? I just can't believe how your life is so similar to Sirius', Harry," said Hermione, sounding deeply thoughtful. "And yet... The MOST surprising part of it all is that, _our_ story," she said, pointing to Ron and herself, "is SO much like James and Lily's!" and the three of them started laughing. Harry and Ron hadn't expected to hear that at all and Hermione's little observation amused Harry beyond his wildest imagination.

"Blimey, Hermione, I never thought of it that way! But yeah... You two did bicker and fight _all the time_! Not that I am complaining, I quite liked watching you two go at each other like that" he said, grinning. "But, exactly when did you two first know that you both liked each other, eh?" he asked, looking from Ron to Hermione.

At this question, Hermione blushed a little making Ron go curious. "Yeah, _Hermione_ ," he said, smiling cheekily at her. "When _did_ you start liking me?" he asked, making her go redder in the face.

"Well... I dunno, Ron, let me see. Um, right from the start, I guess. Remember that time you said those awful things about me in our first year before we got attacked by a troll?" she asked and Ron nodded.

"Well, had it been anyone else who'd said that, I would've merely said something even more painful and walked off," she said. Harry looked at Ron with mixed expressions of complete astonishment and amusement. "It affected me a lot that _you_ of all said that about me..." she said and this time, it was Ron's turn to go red in the face. Harry grinned teasingly at Ron.

"You know, Ron, coming to think of it, I don't remember a _single_ day that went by when I did not go to bed thinking about you and all the times that you made me laugh that day," she said.

"Well, there you go! I _wasn't_ all that invisible in the few years at Hogwarts after all, eh mate?" he said, playfully punching Harry's arm, while gleaming with pride at the things that Hermione had said.

"So what did happen to Sirius and Izzy, though?" asked Hermione.

"Want to find out?" asked Harry and she nodded her head eagerly. "Let's go then," he said and pulled the diary out of his pocket.

oOo- **_Sirius's Memory_** -oOo

AUGUST 25, 1976  
Mount Murray, Santon  
 _7:24 PM_

A blinding light engulfed Harry, Ron and Hermione and the three of them found themselves inside a marquee. It was the holidays at the end of the sixth year and, Harry realized, the Marauders were attending the wedding reception of Alice and Frank Longbottom. The place itself was dimly lit and was decorated beautifully with rows and rows of white chairs and magicked silver lights. A wizarding jazz band played a fast-paced song and several Hogwarts students could be found dancing to the peppy tune. Hermione nudged at Harry and pointed in the direction of James and Sirius in one corner. The three trudged their way through the happy dancers and joined the two of them.

"Can you believe this, James? Does it look like there's a War going on out there?" said Sirius, pointing at the vast expanse behind him.

James chuckled. "Lighten up, mate. This perhaps is _another_ way of defying 'you-know-who'. Pretending like everything is just GREAT! Getting married, dancing at parties… _walking out_ with a special someone...?" he said, looking pointedly Sirius.

"Oh, James, stop it, not again please" sighed Sirius, and took a sip from his glass of butterbeer and stared at the dancing crowd. Harry looked in the direction of Sirius' gaze and saw Isabella there dancing with Lily and Claiborne. Lily was dressed in a short, white cocktail dress with a white satin sash that fell from her shoulder to the end of her skirt while Isabella wore a black, knee-length, lace dress that took the shape of her figure. She wore her hair down which, Harry thought, made her look prettier. Lily, Isabella and Claiborne seemed to be having a great time singing along on top of their voices. ( _"It really doesn't look like Dark Times, does it?" asked Harry to Ron and Hermione_ ).

"How's it going there, boys?" came a voice from behind. James and Sirius twirled around to see a very drunk Remus and Peter heading towards them and greeted them with little thumps on the back. Remus was swaying a little to the tune of the song when suddenly, Claiborne put her hand up and waved in his direction as if asking him to join her. Several eyebrows shot up in amusement as Remus responded back with salute making her giggle to herself.

It wasn't until James cleared his throat did Remus realize he was being watched by three extremely inquisitive pairs of eyes.

Even under the influence of alcohol, Remus didn't simply run off to dance with Claiborne; instead, he glanced nervously at his friends first, as if seeking their permission for some frivolous flirting. The boys, though, merely either choked on their drink (James), shrugged teasingly (Peter) or grabbed him roughly by the neck in a friendly banter (Sirius).

"Oi! Gerroff me!" Remus growled from under Sirius's jugular sleeper choke hold, making the others roar with laughter. "I swear to god, I _will_ hex you!" a very red-faced Remus mumbled.

Still grinning, Sirius lets go of him before finally giving him his blessing: "Alright, alright! Go on then!" he sniggered. "We'll try and not judge, Moony-boy," he said, teasingly. Remus merely laughed at him before bounding off towards Claiborne and the girls.

"You're only allowed one smooch though!" James called out after Remus, who dismissed it off with a wave of a his hand.

"What about you, Padfoot?" asked Peter, with a twinkle in his eyes. "How come _you're_ still here with us?" he asked, giving him a knowing look.

"Come to think of it, Wormy here has a point, you know?" said James, with his tongue in his cheek.

" _Begging_ you two to not make it harder than it already is," Sirius muttered, smiling miserably at his friends, before turning his attention back to the boisterous crowd in front of him. It looked like he couldn't take his eyes off of a certain brown-haired, tall girl in the center of the dance floor.

James surveyed Sirius for a moment longer, watching him almost drown at the sight of Isabella tossing and twirling with Remus and Claiborne. He knew Sirius was itching to grab hold of her and never let her go ever again, but couldn't really understand what was stopping him.

"Just _ask her to dance_ , Sirius," said James, looking at the longing in Sirius' eyes. "You know all too well that she's dying to be asked to dance by you. Mate, honestly? To _hell_ with the war. Take her back…" but he was cut off mid-sentence.

"James, you _know_ I can't," he sighed, exasperated.

"I just think you're being _downright_ silly..."

"No, James, come _on_! Heck, do I want to be with her? Yes! Do I want her to be dancing with ME right about now?! _Yes_! Do I want to spend the rest of my LIFE with her by my side? _YES_! But I can't! You _know_ I can't! I... James, her _life's_ in danger! Can I _afford_ to be that irresponsible with the _one_ girl I... the one girl that matters the most to me? The one girl I actually _love_?!" he asked, scrunching his eyebrows in frustration. "If we're not _meant_ to be together, then so be it!" he said, lightly fist-bumping James's arm in bitterness. "But I _can't_ afford to be selfish, not with her, you know?" he said bitterly, taking another swig from his glass.

James didn't say a word and simply watched him pitifully, knowing fully well the struggle Sirius was enduring at the moment. However, as he continued to watch her dance, Sirius seemed to not be able to take it anymore. He sighed audibly and slapped his forehead down on James's shoulder. " _Why, oh why, James..._ " he whispered, as James wrapped his arm around his head, huffing apologetically.

 _("Harry, I don't remember the two of US ever discussing women so much, now, did we?" asked Ron, laughing broadly, quite taken aback by James and Sirius' friendship. "Yeah, somehow we were both very awkward with each other on that subject," laughed Harry)._

oOo~

DECEMBER 20, 1976  
The Dungeons, Hogwarts _  
_12.30 PM

The images began to change and the three of them found themselves standing in the dungeons this time. Sirius was in his seventh year and he, James and Peter were returning from a potions class. Alice, Isabella and Lily could be seen at the end of the passage, huddled together in a serious discussion.

"Aaand… there she is," said James, and looked longingly at Sirius. "I have invited the rest of the gang home except her," he said.

"James, honestly, please don't!" he exclaimed, almost hyperventilating at the thought. "I lose it every time I get so much as _two feet_ near her! I can't imagine a whole week with her. In _YOUR_ house, especially, what with so many rooms to get _cosy_ in…" he trailed off, only to get nudged hard in the ribs by James.

James stopped laughing and said, "Mate, honestly? She's my friend too now and I would really, REALLY want her there for Christmas this year," he said, nodding in her direction. "I'm inviting her whether you like it or not!" he said, and smiled teasingly at Sirius, who blushed a little. The two of them started towards the passage when, in the distance, they saw Lucius and three other boys had cornered Isabella and Lily and were leering something at them (their voices were echoing through the tunnel). Harry noticed Sirius tense up immediately; Alice was nowhere to be seen.

"…the time's ticking for you mudbloods!" said Lucius, and other boys laughed in agreement and moved closer to the girls. Sirius' stomach squirmed uncomfortably as he started jogging towards the pair. "You two better stay away from the dungeons or you might just find yourselves writhing in pain…" continued Lucius, maliciously licking his lips.

BAM!

A fuse went off in Sirius's head as the words seeped through his brain. Rage burned through his body as he started bolting towards the group at the speed of light.

"Sirius, wait, we'll be outnumbered! Don't do anything stupid, mate!" called out James, who was right behind him. But Sirius seemed to have not heard him and sent out a blasting curse at the Slytherins. The sudden spell made them jump out in surprise and three of them dashed out of the tunnel. Lucius immediately pulled out his wand, but Sirius was too quick for him. He disarmed him and launched himself on top of Lucius, sending him down. Everything happened so quickly that Isabella and Lily seemed to have not realized what was happening in the first place. Before James and Peter had reached Sirius, Sirius had already taken out his rage on Lucius, and had sent about a hundred _jaw-breaking_ blows to his face.

"Sirius, STOP it!" shrieked Isabella. In the meantime, Lucius had somehow managed to get a hold of his wand and yelled, " _Stupefy!_ " at Sirius, but unfortunately the angle of the wand changed in the last minute and hit James and Peter squarely in the middle, eventually stunning them. Instinctively, Sirius turned to look at James and Peter, quite forgetting about Lucius and regretted it immediately. Lucius slammed the pointed edge of his wand at Sirius' face and sent him to the floor. Before anyone could do anything else, Lily did a sweeping motion with her wand and immobilized everyone in the passage.

oOo- **_a few minutes later..._** -oOo

Isabella was dragging Sirius by his collar and walked heatedly towards the Gryffindor tower. She roughly thrust him inside the portrait hole and pushed him onto a couch. Her face glowered as she yanked her robes off her shoulders, rolled up her sleeves and dug into her bag for the first-aid potion that she had concocted in the Herbology class last year. Sirius sat there with blood spewing out of the gash in his face, his expression was mingled with anger, hatred and guilt.

She kneeled on the floor in front of him and, without another word, used her wand to neatly wipe the blood off of his face, soaked a tissue in the phial and slowly started to dab his face with it. Sirius, who looked ridden with guilt, mumbled something about being able to take care of it himself.

" _Do me a favor and SHUT UP?!_ " she snapped back. She kept muttering under her breath and clearly looked boiling mad at Sirius' behaviour. At one point, she deliberately pressed the tissue a little too hard on the gash, making him wince in pain.

"Ow! Izzy, would you _watch_ it?!" he said, and grabbed her hand to make her stop. She now looked so furious that Harry thought she might end up ' _Crucio!-ing_ ' Sirius any second now.

"Have you gone COMPLETELY mental, Sirius?!" she yelled and threw the tissue on the floor. "You think Lily and I aren't capable of handling ourselves, you think we're dainty _damsels_ who need their Prince to come down and save the DAY?!" she bellowed, making him hold his hands out in defense.

"Izzy, I don't _care…_ " started Sirius, but was cut off immediately by Isabella.

"Do you realize you've ticked off _Lucius Malfoy_ , the potential right hand to You-Know-Who?! Do you realize you've just helped recruit yourself into the long list of _blood-traitors_? What, weren't you happy with the problems we're already dealing with? Did you want to add yet _another_ challenge to our lives?! Haven't you heard what happens to blood-traitors, Sirius?! Your LIFE is in serious danger…"

"I don't _CARE_ about my life, Izzy!" he yelled, as he sprang up from his chair and glared daggers at her. "I don't care WHAT they plan to do with me, I don't care about ANYTHING right about now," he said breathing heavily. "But I WILL NOT tolerate that useless piece of slime talking to you that way," he said.

"And _why's_ that?" she yelled back. "Why do you care now? You broke up with me last year! Why DO you CARE…?"

"BECAUSE, I love you!" he said, kicking his chair backwards. "I am IN love with you, Izzy!" he breathed out. "And I'll _never_ be able to feel any differently about you no matter HOW much time passes between us!" he said, and punched the air in frustration, whilst twirling around on his heel to avoid looking into her eyes.

Harry, Ron and Hermione saw Isabella's eyes widen. Her expression seemed to suggest anger, relief, frustration and peace all at the same time. Sirius turned around and dared himself to look at her.

He eyed her nervously before adding, "Look... Baby, I... I'm sorry that I hurt you..." he said, taking a tentative step towards her. "It wasn't fair..."

"YES, it wasn't _FAIR_!" she yelled, as tears trickled down her face.

"I know, _I know_!" he pleaded. "You didn't _deserve_ to be treated that way, I know! But, what ELSE could I do? I _had_ to do what I did, Izzy, do you realize just HOW difficult it was for _me_ to have to break it off with you?! Heck, everyday I wake up wondering HOW was it that I was going to make it through the day without _dying_ to want to hold you! Every time I saw you, my heart goes on overdrive and it takes a couple of hard nudges to the ribs from James to keep my _sanity_ intact!" he said, breathing heavily and looking at her through pained eyes. "Baby, honestly, hurting you was the last thing on my mind, but I... I didn't know what else to do and I am... _So sorry..._ " he said, resignedly and held his waist to collect himself.

For a long time, the two merely stood staring at each other the entire time.

"I can't get _anything_ right anymore, can I...?" he said, finally looking up and smiling weakly at her.

Isabella didn't move an inch. She simply stared back at him pining away in love for him while her eyes exuded anger and hurt. Sirius stood there, drinking in her image before she finally spoke up.

"You have any _idea_ how long it took me to get over you, Sirius?" she whispered. "I was a _wreck_! You drive me _nuts_ , you know that?!" she squealed, now throwing little objects at him, never once missing the mark. Sirius didn't complain once as he (quite playfully) ducked and jumped, trying to avoid being hit by odd objects.

With one last cry of anger, she threw her hands in the air before turning her back on him and weeping into her hands.

For a second, Sirius didn't quite know what to do and simply stood watching her cry her eyes out. It hurt him to see her this way.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he slowly moved towards and pulled her close to him by her waist. A moment's hesitation later, he wrapped his hands around her and rested his chin on her shoulder, and immediately felt her breathing hitch in her throat as their bodies connected. For a long time, they stood in the middle of the Gryffindor common room with Sirius hugging her from the back, giving her as much time as she needed to feel better. When she finally calmed down a little, he whispered a coupled of hurried _"I'm sorry, I'm sorry,"_ before kissing her adoringly along her face and neck. Once he was sure she'd forgiven him, he turned her face towards him, looked longingly her in the eyes and said, "Can I kiss you _now_?"

Before the words had even left his lips, Isabella had spun around, flung her hands around him, held his face and kissed him. Sirius was so tall now that she had to stand on tip toes to wrap her hands around his massive frame. Relief flooded down Sirius's body as he wrapped his arms around her too and lifted her up a little, as his lips plundered hers. The two of them shared such passion for each other, their kiss was so hot and hungry that, Harry and Ron had to look away feeling mighty embarrassed. Hermione though continued to watch the two, welling up a little bit.

After several minutes, they broke apart but continued to have their arms around each other. Sirius closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. "You and I..." she started. "We've never known a life without each other in it, have we?" she said, smiling at his amused expression. She stared back a moment longer, her face sick with worry. "What now, Sirius?" she whispered.

What Sirius said next not only bolted Isabella out of her skin but even Harry, Ron _and_ Hermione! He held her by her waist, pulled her close to him, looked deep in her eyes and said, _"Marry me…"_


	12. The Cursed Pair

**Disclaimer: Couldn't own something as great as Harry Potter even if I tried. :)**

 **Sorry about the delay in posting. Heck of a week it was at work. Needed some quiet time to pen this down. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 12:** The Cursed Pair

* * *

A pregnant silence followed Sirius's question. Isabella looked rooted to the floor, still under the embrace of Sirius. He continued to stare into the depths of the hazel eyes of Isabella; his own eyes radiated conviction and confidence in the decision he was about to take.

With a shaky hand, she touched his face and managed to say, "Are you sure about this, Sirius? About us?"

Sirius snorted. "Don't think I've been surer of anything else in my life up until this moment," he said, and swooped down to kiss her cheek.

 _("Harry, look!" said Hermione making Ron and Harry turn around to the other side. The most unusual thing happened: the memory that the three of them were in did not change into another like it usually did. Instead, another memory started to play in the background and seemed to suggest both events took place at exactly the_ same _time)._

"I've loved you forever, Izzy," he said, as he pushed a strand of hair off her face. "I haven't the faintest clue what I'd do without you…"

oOo—

 _Dumbledore looked haggard and aged with worry. He traipses into the Hog's Head amidst dark clouds and an eerie wind; his long robes flaps as a gust of wind threatens to shove the wizard off his feet. "A firewhiskey, please," he breathes, as the door to the inn shuts close. The bartender turns around to fetch the order._

—oOo

"I thought keeping away from you was going to keep you safe, but… now I realize, we're exposed to danger either way…" Sirius muttered, wrapping his hands protectively around her neck.

oOo—

 _Dumbledore takes his drink and settles down in one of the tables, looking preoccupied. Heavy winds and rains could be heard lashing against the frail walls. Fear engulfed Harry as he noticed movement outside the inn's window. Behind Dumbledore, through the filth-ridden bay windows, a dark shadow of a person, bent double with age, could be seen coming through._

—oOo

"Baby, I am DONE worrying about you. For the last 9 months, all I've done is think about you, dream about you… By god, I'm _done_!" he exclaims, shaking his head; a small smile broke on his flawless face. "I don't want to wait until the War is over... Hell, I don't know if we'll even make it out _alive_!" he whispered, as she drank in his every word, blinking back tears.

"I want this right now. I need you right away, right now. I _love_ you Izzy, and I know I will love you forever… So, Isabella Grace Louisa Williams," he said, taking three steps back and opening his hands slightly open, "I ask you one more time. Will you… Marry me?" he finished.

His emotions seemed to be brimming in his eyes. In that moment, all the Love in the world seemed to have abounded in the space that stretched between Sirius and Isabella.

oOo—

 _A hooded old witch enters the pub; her cloak was dripping wet. Dumbledore continues to be in a pensive mode. The old witch approaches his table and pushes back the hood to reveal a face so lined and pale, it almost seemed painful to look upon. Her eyes were large and glistening with a pool of water around the corners. Her lips curled in a kind smile as she spots Dumbledore. Dumbledore's sense of clairvoyance made him stand up and turn around just as she neared him; it looked like he had been waiting for her._

—oOo

Isabella clasped her hands to her mouth and stood there transfixed, quite unable to believe this was actually happening. After a moment's time, she giggled and ran straight into his open arms.

oOo—

" _Mother Medea," said Dumbledore, taking her frail hand and leading her over to a chair nearby. "What brings you to this part of the world in these grim times?" he asked. Mutely she puts her hand inside her robes and presents Dumbledore with a pearl-white orb, the contents of which appeared to be swirling, as if a prophecy had been made mere minutes ago._

—oOo

She wrapped her hand around his neck and squeals, "YES!"

Overjoyed, Sirius hugs her in earnest and twirls her around, grinning broadly. "Are you serious?!" he yells and kisses her in disbelief.

"Sirius Black, how much more daft can you get?! Of COURSE I'm serious!" she chimes in and the pair break into a nervous, muffled laughter.

oOo—

 _In that instant, Mother Medea drops the orb from her hand and it shatters against the dilapidated stone floor with a deafening crash. All of a sudden, a white cloud of smoke engulfs the room and a high-pitched, eerie, almost inhuman voice, thunders through the walls of the inn:_

 _"The fabled unison of the cursed pair…  
Wedded for life for the seventh time…!  
Ripples of Dark do wreak despair…  
Seven times doth the clock chime…!_

 _Born of lust, Son of spite, Evil doth rise…  
Ally and friend, the Dark Lord He will defy…!  
Cursed be their fate, sacrifice be their price…  
One last time, the knot He doth tie…!_

 _Four decades hence, the fruits be borne...  
The change of Fate with a whip of Time...  
Daughter of Love, sacrifice and thorn...  
Seven times doth the clock chime..."_

—oOo

And, just like that, a dark cloud rose and the memory of Sirius vanished, leaving the three stunned and grounded in utter darkness and deathly silence.

* * *

The morning back in The Burrow did not seem so pleasant anymore. The three of them had landed on the dew-laden grass in the backyard feeling a flurry of emotions that was not even remotely comprehendible. Hermione's face was scrunched up in fierce concentration, as if trying to make sense of everything she'd seen and heard in the memory. Ron simply looked flabbergasted like he'd eaten a whole tub of slugs. Harry struggled to deal with the wave of emotions that flooded him. It was all too confusing.

"What in the bloody hell did that all even _mean_?!" said Ron, finally breaking the other two out of their reverie. "Heck, I didn't even know a prophecy was made _before_ the prophecy about Harry killing Voldemort came about!" he exclaimed.

"Ron! Don't you see? We're clearly missing something!" exclaimed Hermione and then went completely cold and still. Harry thought he heard her mutter something like _"finimona admamodor..."_ under her breath.

"Wait, Hermione," said Harry, a tone of urgency trailed in his voice. "Let's sort the meaning out of what was said _. 'The cursed fabled pair'_ obviously refers to Sirius and Izzy. _'Son of spite, evil rising'_ all refers to Voldermort. _'Sacrifice be their price'_ obviously means they were destined to _die_ ," Harry spat the last words out miserably and ridden with anger and sorrow. " _'Wedded for life for the seventh time'_? What, like they're soul mates or something?" asked Harry.

"Harry, there's a myth in the magical world. It's called 'Fenomena Atmamiter' or the 'The Phenomenon of True Love'. It's extremely rare, Harry. The books that I read put the phenomenon from occurring somewhere between one to nil. However, if it does happen, well… all hell breaks loose," she said. Her face had gone white and she looked particularly disconcerted.

She took in a deep breath and continued. "It says if in one life you meet your true love or soul mate, like you call it, and IF, by the work of destiny one of them sacrifices their life for the other, the pair is both rewarded and cursed. The reward is where the two souls are reincarnated seven times and in all of the seven lives, they remain inseparable. The curse, however, is that in their seventh birth, their unison is both short-lived and brings about great mayhem and tragedy to the world around," she said, and looked up at the shocked faces of Harry and Ron.

"It all makes sense now, Harry! The global wizarding war between Dumbeldore and Grindelwald, the First and the Second Wizarding Wars between you and Voldemort, all the lives lost, all the bloodshed… It's all happened for a reason, Harry. The wars and deaths of millions of innocents were all in anticipation of the unison of the 'Fabled Cursed Pair'! Sirius and Izzy were the Cursed Pair," she said.

Harry was dumbfounded. "So… So… What does it all mean?" he spluttered. "Sirius keeps saying there was something I needed to know. What does it mean? That the war isn't over? Hermione…" he said, fear striking his face. He instinctively puts his hand over his scar. "Does it mean…"

Hermione, who looked flustered, shook her head like she was greatly confused. "I don't know, Harry! I mean… They're both dead! Why did we stumble upon this diary NOW? Why did we… Wait," she said and stopped in her tracks.

Ron finished the sentence for her: " _Forty years hence!_ That's it! Blimey Hermione, we're exactly at forty years since the prophecy was made! Oh my god, I'm positively flummoxed right about now!" he exclaimed. "Harry, mate, I think it's time we moved to Japan! I'm all of DONE with England and its _stupid_ wars!"

"Ron! Will you please pull yourself together?!" shot back Hermione.

"You guys, what IS Sirius trying to tell me...?" wondered Harry more to himself. "What am I supposed to do…? Hermione, it doesn't make any sense! All's done and gone. Everything's gone back to what it's supposed to be. Why are we being haunted by the past again…?"


	13. Fenomena Atmamiter

**Disclaimer: This one is 90% mine. :) 10% still goes to Rowling!**

 **That took a while. Hopefully everyone likes it...**

 **Chapter 13:** 'Fenomena Atmiter'

* * *

"Many thousand years ago, there lived an old wizard called Everard who hailed from Rhosgobel in the Vales of Anduin. He was also called the 'nature-whisperer' due to his unusual inclination towards nature, animals and his choice of earth-brown robes that characterized the forest floor. Everard, among others, was thought to have been sent to the country by the Veela to aid and build the Magical World as we see it today. Before the intervention of the Veela, all of Europe's Magic was scattered and in a state of utter chaos; before the Fərst Magique Conseil, it is said that isolated incidents of magic were constantly reported from far off countries which, the Veela feared, could potentially compromise the well-guarded secret of magic. This eventually initiated the colonising of the First Age Witches and Wizards from all over the country and, eventually, the first Ministry of Magic was set up. However, different factions were soon formed on account of several disagreements, the most controversial of which was on mixing of pure-bloods with no-majs.

"Originally there were thought to have been over a hundred factions with varying views and beliefs and each of these factions colonised across different parts of the Aegean. However, over time, smaller factions started getting invaded and conquered by bigger factions for want of power and the number of factions slowly started to shrink. After nearly three hundred years of war and bloodshed, there were only four major factions that existed—Caedesmort, Armindale, Woldorin and Elvedoria—four massive, yet extremely powerful factions that were ruled by kings and rulers who assumed leadership roles in each. Of the four factions, Caedesmort was most feared as they were most powerful, cunning and merciless.

"Most of the wizards that the Veela had originally chosen for building the Magical World became allies to one or the other of the four factions, except Everard. Unlike other wizards of his time, Everard was not seeking power or political affiliations to expand his Magic and Theme as was customary of powerful wizards in that Age; instead, he resorted to spreading love and serenity to the lesser Mortal world which was part of Mother Earth.

"Somewhere in the middle of the Second Age, Caedesmort gained a new wizard and ruler; a ruler and wizard the World would talk about forever; a ruler and wizard who would go on to becoming one of the Greatest Dark Lords the Magical World would ever see… The High King of Caedesmort, Mávros Slytherin, was a ruthless ruler and army chief who unleashed terror, war and bloodshed across the Aegean. The evil of Mávros was compared to that of Satan; fear reeked so much so that there came a time when people refused to look upon his face.

"However, as fate would have it, love struck Mávros on the battlefield between the armies of Caedesmort and Woldorin. A bloody battle of the swords and wands ensued between King Mávros and King Daerian when, all of a sudden, Daerian was disarmed. Mávros moved in for the kill and mercilessly raised his sword to cut Daerian's head off when there was an earth-shattering clang of metal. Mávros found his sword struggling to overpower and conquer another. Anger and murk emanated from the very eyes of the Dark Lord as he tactfully swung his weapon and turned to look upon the mortal who dare stop him: the exact contrast of what Mávros was made of stood before him: there, in front of him, stood Goddess Athena incarnate; probably the fairest lady to ever walk the Earth. Irvette Gryffindor, wife of Daerian Gryffindor and sister of wizard Everard, was the most beautiful and noble Queens the wizarding World ever saw. Long white hair, eyes like the very claws of eagle, slender, elegant, yet, strong, valiant and absolutely fearless—she won Mávros' heart instantly.

"Legend says the battle that ensued between Irvette and Mávros will always be remembered as the most blood-curdling and fierce battle of skill, power, race and passion. Mávros, despite his Satanic appearance, seemed to helplessly fall for the wife of another with every clink and clash of their swords until he was defeated. Irvette's bravery, fury and love for her husband salvaged Daerian's life on the battlefield. Over time, however, Mávros' obsession for Irvette spread like plague and, gloom fell across the rest of the three factions in anticipation of yet another, even bigger War on the horizon. Irvette's Seer foretold that a war, like no-other, would be fought between Caedesmort and Woldorin for a hundred years. Daerian will die and the faction will perish; Woldorin will not have an heir.

"That night, Irvette was seen singing a lullaby to her new-born one last time. It is said that in the dead of the night, the guards of Woldorin saw a silver light fall from the highest towers of their castle—not a scream was heard.

"The news left Mávros both brimming with pride and seething with rage. Her devotion to Daerian was so ethereal that it made Mávros' love for Irvette both burgeon and diminish at the same time. Mávros cursed the pair and deemed that they will be Man and Wife in seven births, however, be separated by death in their seventh Life together so as to understand the misery of losing a loved one. A heart-broken Daerian approached wizard Everard to seek justice for his wife's death and to reverse the curse that was mercilessly laid upon his family. Everard presented Daerian with a pocket clock and said,

 _'Life is a Cricle, Daerian...  
_ _A true Heir of Gryffindor need only find the Clock.  
_ _Every time the Cursed Pair is reborn in this world, the clock would chime.  
_ _And the clock would chime seven times, seven births hence.  
_ _The true Heir of Gryffindor need only find the Clock,  
_ _And reverse the curse to be reborn seven more times.  
_ _And seven more times yet again and again.  
_ _And the Magic will go on forever…'_

"Mávros was soon overpowered and dethroned. Two generations later, the unspeakable deeds of Caedesmort were slowly fading away and harmony began to restore among the four factions. Three more generations later, the boundary-lines between the four factions started to fade as inter-faction marriages became more prevalent.

"Eventually, the History of the factions started to fade away with Time much to the concern of the elders in the countries. Thus, came about the idea of building a wholly Magical School, Hogwarts, as we know it now. The four founders, Salazar Slytherin from Caedesmort, Godric Gryffindor from Woldorin, Rowena Ravenclaw from Armindale and Helga Hufflepuff from Elvedoria used the Magic and the beliefs of their factions and built the school by instilling their charm in every brick.

Thus, is the story of the Cursed Pair: Fenomena Atmamiter."

Hermione closed the book and looked around at the half-stunned, half-amused faces of Harry, Ron, Ginny, George, Angelina, Rose, Hugo, James, Al, Fred II, Roxanne _and_ Lily.


	14. The Black Magic

**Chapter 14: The Black Magic**

* * *

There was a general muttering and jabber in the attic of The Burrow that followed the narration of the fascinating story of the beginning of Magic. All the kids looked surprisingly interested in the topic and Harry overhead James telling Fred II and Al and Hugo something like _"…you know, I bet you on my Firebolt that that bloke Everard_ really _was DUMBLEDORE…!"_ and the rest of the kids all go _"…Oh my god you're sooooo right!"_

Harry, who had his hand around Ginny, chuckled at the kids and their wild imagination. He surveyed the room full of people and felt a warmth creep up in his heart. ' _If only we had this growing up as well… No hurting scar… No war…_ _No bloodshed_... _Being able to sleep peacefully at nights… If only…'_ he thought to himself.

Harry was snapped out of his reverie when he heard his youngest asking something to Hermione.

"Aunt 'Merione, what did the clock look like?" asked a very wide-eyed young Lily. "Was it made of _goooold_?" she asked, eagerly with a wide smile on her face. Hermione and Ron laughed. Hermione brought Lily to her lap and wrapped her hands around her niece and said, "Well, we don't know about that, sweetheart. Maybe it was. It is goblin-made after all and globlins _love_ their gold," she said, smiling widely at her. She seemed to love the innocence of kids.

"Mum, look we have a pocket clock too!" squealed Rose and looked down at the locket that hung from her neck. It was Hermione's time-turner which had helped her get to her classes in her third-year at Hogwarts.

Hermione looked alarmed at her daughter holding the time-turner. She shook it off immediately saying, "Rose, that's a different kind of pocket clock, darling, give it back! How many times have I told you _not_ to play with this? It's not something to mess around with!"

At this point, Ron yawned loudly and announced, "Okay everyone! I think it's time for bed. Hurry along now, show's over!" which invited a lot of groans and protests. But the kids did look very tired from all the playing and didn't mind making their way up to their rooms and calling it a night.

Ginny looked at Harry and said, "I'll take care of Lily tonight, why don't you hang around here and find out more about what happened. You won't believe how curious _I_ am to know more!" she said, grinning broadly and gave her husband a good-night kiss and swept out of the room.

"Bye, darling," said Harry and waved to his wife and George and Angelina who all trudged down the stairs sounding particularly animated after that very gripping bed-time story session. Just as Harry waved them all good-bye, something struck him: _'A whip of time…?'_

"Ron, what exactly did the prophecy say?" asked Harry, without looking at Ron, but rummaging the room for Sirius's diary. "Get me the notes, mate, we have work to do," he said.

Ron looked speechlessly at Harry and stood there pointing to his watch as if to say, ' _Harry, do you KNOW what time it is?!'_ Harry simply waved him off saying, "Ron, come on, this is serious business. We need to get to the bottom of this and we need to do it quick! Something tells me we're running out of time" he said, and absent-mindedly went to fetch his diary.

"Wh… _Harry…!_ Oh okay!" grumbled Ron and took out his little notes pad. "Okay, so" he said, stifling a little yawn, "it says here, _'Four decades hence, the fruits be borne; the change of fate with a whip of time; daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn; seven times doth the clock chime'_ " he added, sleepily, and then all of a sudden, his eyes went wide. "Harry! Does… Does this prophecy suggest what I _think_ it's suggesting?!" he said, looking bewildered and clasping the pad shut loudly.

"Exactly what I thought a moment ago, Ron," said Harry, grimly. "Hermione, bring me that time-turner of yours, please? And keep it with you while we go into Sirius's memory?" he said, and Hermione obliged readily.

"Okay… Ron, Hermione, no matter what you do, keep your eyes open. Make notes whenever needed," and, with that, the three of them had plunged one more time into Sirius's diary.

oOo— ** _Sirius's Memory_** –oOo

DECEMBER 21, 1976  
 _Near The Whomping Willow, Hogwarts_ _  
_6.54 PM

"What do you think, Peter, Remus?" asked Sirius, quite nervously, despite his cheery smile.

Remus and Peter gaped at Sirius for a second, quite unable to speak right away. Remus continued to stare at his best friend while Peter kept darting his eyes from Sirius to the large rock that he was holding in his fingers in utter disbelief.

"I er… Thought I'd tell about this to James a little later, you know. I mean, he'd be gutted if he knew I was getting engaged _before_ him!" he said, and laughed a bit.

"Sirius…" Remus started, weakly, as a slow smile crept up on his face. He looked strangely more tired than usual. "I didn't know you were this serious… I mean, are you sure about this, mate?" he asked, sounding concerned. "Like, you're only all of 17. BOTH of you! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Izzy, but do you want to…"

"Remus, I can't wait, mate," said Sirius, solemnly. "I mean, after what happened in the dungeons last week, I just… I dunno… I am having a very, _very_ bad feeling about this, I am worried sick about her, mate. Keep getting this awful dream about her dying… Keep feeling she's in some sort of grave danger… And in my dream, someone's doing something really bad to her and I just can't seem to shake it off. I need her to be with at all times until this war ends, mate. If we get married, my family Magic will protect her to an extent... I mean, She'll be a Black too and I'd feel a lot safer letting her loiter off wherever, just for a little while, you see what I'm saying?" he finished, and looked expectantly at his friends. "Peter, mate, say something. What do you think?"

Peter, Harry thought, had gone extremely white with fear. He looked up at Sirius nervously and ran his hand through his hair as his eyes darted back at the ring in Sirius's hand. "Is that… Mrs. Black's wedding ring, Sirius?" he asked.

"Ha! Sharp you are, Peter! Yes, it indeed is, my friend. Why do you ask though?" Sirius added, curiously. He frowned at Peter's dumbfounded expression and added, "What's the matter, Wormtail, why do you look so tense?"

"Sirius, are you SURE you want to do this?" he said, and suddenly, his face changed. An expression of anger had replaced the scared, nervous look on his rat-like face. To Harry, he did not seem like a shy and timid little fellow anymore. Something had changed in him. Something he just could not a put a finger on.

"Sirius! You're a Black!" Peter continued. His face was quivering slightly from all the effort he was putting in. "And you're the eldest in your family, have you not thought of what that could _do_ to your family's reputation?! You really want your _mother's_ ring on that _muggle-born's finger_?!" he said, his teeth chattering uncontrollably now. It looked like he was not used to ever standing up to his friends up until this point.

"Peter, what are you ratting about?" yelled Remus, put Peter slapped his hand away and continued. Harry thought Remus looked like he was gasping for breath as he spoke.

"You really want to attenuate the power of your family's blood Magic?!" he yelled. Peter looked unstoppable now while a look of complete shock hung over Sirius's face. It looked like Peter had mustered up every ounce of courage left in him to finally speak his mind to Sirius's face.

"WHAT the bloody hell?!" yelled Sirius, and roughly pushed Peter back. " _Where_ is all this coming from, eh? What do YOU care about my family's Magic all of a sudden?" he demanded. "Why do you sound so much like Regulus?!" he demanded. Peter continued to quiver in his face and started to move away from the two of them. "Peter, wait!" said Sirius, and menacingly grabbed hold of Peter's robes. Anger was dancing in his eyes as he looked at Peter's face and whispered, "Have you been talking to mum?!"

"Yes! YES! I worship her! She's like a mother to me too!" he wailed.

"She's a witch that is born to manipulate and play with your MIND, Peter!" snarled Sirius. "Her 'high' self and all! It's complete bollocks! Why else do you think I WALKED out of my OWN house if not, this summer, eh?! Do NOT listen to her, Peter!"

"NO! Unlike ANY of you, she respects me and _acknowledges_ my _presence_! A privilege none of _you_ extended to me! Said she'd take me as her own son someday since YOU'RE such a disgrace to her family! _MY_ family!" he bellowed. He looked completely deranged right now. "I was supposed to keep an eye on you, you know?" he added, this time, looking nervously. "It's my responsibility to preserve the purity of the House of Black…"

"Peter, for MERLIN'S SAKE!" bellowed, Sirius and looked ready to punch him squarely in his face, when he was interrupted by an unearthly howl of a wolf from somewhere very near to them. Sirius and Peter froze in their footsteps and instinctively turned towards the sky as the cold moonlight washed over their faces.

The images slowly began to fade and warped back into the Great Hall.

~oO

DECEMBER 22, 1976  
 _The Great Hall, Hogwarts_ _  
_7.30 AM

It was early on a Wednesday morning and all those seventh-year students who intended to apply for the Auror program have stayed back in school for the Christmas holidays and attend their early N.E.W.T.'s. At the moment, the atmosphere in the Great Hall was abuzz with frenzied students thronging their House Tables to to grab a bite before their exams began. James, Sirius and Peter sat together on one end of the Gryffindor table, while the girls and Remus sat opposite to them.

Harry thought Remus looked terrible and worse than he's ever seen him before with bags under his eyes and scars all over his face. Harry also noticed Claiborne sitting next to Remus and helping him with his soup while whispering something across to Peter. The others clearly did not seem to find this odd, neither did they pay them any attention and continued to chatter away when a rather large owl swooped into the Great Hall and dropped a very official-looking box in front of Isabella.

"What in the world?" she said, picking up the parcel. She quickly paid the large owl and tore open the wrapping of the box only to find a black wooden crest with an ornate gold clasp. On the top right corner of the box, in bright gold, were printed the letters, "ISABELLA WILLIAMS."

She looked up at her friends curiously and gingerly opened the box. There were plenty of things inside the chest starting from ornate lockets to wands and orbs. However, one yellowing old rolled parchment caught her eye. She picked up the roll and carefully pulled the red string off. Harry saw Isabella's eyes instantly water as she recognized her mother's handwriting:

 _11th April, 1960_

 _Dear Isabella Grace Louisa Williams,_

 _I hope you find this letter at the right time; a time when you would understand why I wrote this letter in the first place, my dear baby. I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am today, Isabella. You were born this morning and you are the most beautiful little girl I ever laid my eyes on!_

 _Isabella, there are some things that I will not be able to tell you until you have grown into a strong, beautiful young lady; things that are very complicated for a little girl like you to understand. I hope you understand that my sole intentions of keeping you in the dark are merely to protect you from the prejudices of the world and the pressures to conform to societal predispositions. I am going to tell you a little story in this letter, Isabella: the story of our family._

 _We are not Muggles, my dear girl. We are not non-magical people as you would eventually be raised as. We are, indeed, a proud and very powerful magical family, almost "royalty" so to speak, and we have held the "pure-blood" status for nearly thousands of years. However, that streak was broken a couple of generations ago when your great-great-great-grandmother defied our family values and fell in love with a Muggle-born man named George Alexander Williams._

 _Isabella, you have no idea what it is like to go after what one wanted at a time like that. Fortunately, you are born in times when things are looking very bright for young women to choose and want as they please, but back in the 1700's, the magical world was a very cruel place. Muggles were treated like slaves and were made to do odd jobs that were not even remotely civil. It was a time when haughty pure-blood gentlemen went to town and hunted Muggles down, humiliated them, tortured them, even killed them for their sheer pleasure and entertainment._

 _Our family was obsessed with blood status too, owing to our ancestral origins. However, as bold as your great-great-great-grandmother was, she did not care for what the world believed in, for she had fallen in love with a man that loved her to her very bones. Quite a scandal it was: the two of them had eloped and gotten married in a small Irish town. One year they spent together as husband and wife in the little town as they welcomed their new-born son into the world. However, our pure-blood obsessed family tracked them down and murdered the two, while sparing the new-born baby._

 _Our family magic continued on, however. The Williams family line has produced several very notable witches and wizards, Isabella. Several except me. As fate would have it, I ended up being born a squib. I have no magical powers whatsoever and am as good as a Muggle-born. However, I met your father, my third-cousin, who loved me for exactly who I was and, being raised with a very modern outlook, did not care if I could do magic or not and ended up marrying me. We decided to live as Muggles among Muggles in Muggle localities and raise our children in that environment where there is no prejudice and discrimination. Now, three years later, I have you on my lap as I write this letter. You may or may not end up being a witch, but just know that, no matter what you are, dada and I will love you and cherish you for exactly that._

 _I hope you are not angry with mum right now..._

 _Lots of love and kisses,_  
 _Your Mother,_

 _Elizabeth Louisa Williams_

 _P.S. Your great-great-great-grandmother was Norvella Scarlett Gryffindor. Yes, you are the successor and belong to the direct line of descendants to our great ancestor, Godric Gryffindor, my baby girl._


	15. The Dog And The Lynx

**A/N: Sorry about the delay! Work during the weekends is just the worst! :( Promise to keep updating as soon as possible. Until then, enjoy :):)**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: The Dog And The Lynx**

* * *

oOo- **_Present..._** -oOo

" _IZZY_ is the _heir_?!" said Harry, looking around bewildered.

"And Mrs. Black?!" let out Hermione, looking very angry. "It was _she_ that poisoned Peter's mind... Against her own SON! How cruel!"

"Yeah, absolutely mind-wreckingly cruel, I'd say!" said Ron, with bloodshot eyes.

Hermione grinned a bit, looking at her husband. She walked up to him, put her hands around his neck and said, "You know you get mighty cranky when you're sleep deprived, love?" she added, stifling a smile. "How about this?" she added, much to Harry's annoyance. He knew what she might possibly say and was about to open his mouth in protest before she said, "Why don't you go to bed while the two of us figure this out, darling?" she said and this time, a wide smile broke out on her face.

"HERMIONE?" yelled, Harry. "I need him, you know? What are you _doing_?!" he said. However, he was smiling too looking at the wide show of relief on Ron's face who was beaming at his wife. "Oh Ron, you're HOPELESS, mate!" he added, and threw up his hands in mock frustration.

"Harry, come on, its 11 o'clock, you know better than to keep Ronald Weasley from his bed!" she said and quickly kissed Ron goodnight.

"See you two in the morning, then!" said Ron, with a wide childish smile on his face. "Oh, and mate, watch my wife, would ya? Couldn't do with life without her, you know what I'm saying?" he added, only to be thrown a pillow at and shown the door by Harry as if to say, _'Shut up and leave before I hex you!'_

oOo— ** _Sirius's Memory_** –oOo

DECEMBER 24, 1976  
The Great Hall, Hogwarts  
 _3:30 PM_

Harry and Hermione found themselves in the Great Hall which was now transformed into an exam hall for the N.E.W.T's. It looked like the practicals for Transfiguration was on and in one end, Lily could be seen waving her wand in neat circles and muttering something under breath. A second later, a blinding white light shot out of her wand and converted a table into a little fawn. A loud round of applause could be heard as the scenes changed.

"All of _forty_ students from among sixth and seventh years have been chosen for the Auror program based on their performance in the N.E.W.T's!" bellowed McGonagall and the Great Hall erupted into cheers. "Formal training at the Ministry will begin in the month of January immediately after the holidays are over! Upon certification, the newly recruited Aurors will work for the Ministry against the Dark Forces!" she said and a loud applause followed.

The scenes dissolved again and this time, Harry and Hermione were in the boys' dormitory. It was night-time, perhaps really late; Harry could see James studying by the window sill.

"My GOD, I hate my life!" whined Sirius, as he burst into the room and startling James right out of his skin. James's book thudded to the floor as he jumped _two feet_ in the air before landing painfully on his side. There was no one else in the dormitory apart from James and Sirius.

"Don't! EVER! _Do_ that!" yelled James through gritted teeth while rubbing his chest to calm himself down. Sirius, Harry thought, was finding it extremely difficult to keep a straight face as he grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him up to his feet. "And what are you ranting on about, eh?" asked James, sounding curious. "Bad talk?"

"You said it!" replied Sirius, looking angry again. "My mother, I mean, she's PURE EVIL and by GOD, is she haughty?! You know what, James, everything's clearing up now, I'm a hundred percent POSITIVE this time!" he raged on, and, quite frankly, looking slightly deranged at the moment.

"Positive of _what_?" asked James, a look anxiety crossing on his face.

"Positive that I'm actually adopted..." he said, spreading his arms wide open. James looked like he would tackle Sirius to the ground any second now as he stared back incredulously at him.

"Boy, am I glad I'm friends with a _genius_!" he mused, sarcastically. "Although, I can't say I'm entirely thrilled of the fact that I _nearly died of a heart attack for that piece of GARBAGE!_ " he said, throwing a book at him which Sirius neatly dodged, grinning to himself.

The two of them slumped down by the window as Sirius continued to rant on.

"James! You _don't_ understand! I'm nothing like her! Why am I so different from the _rest of my family?!_ I mean, we practically don't agree on ANYTHING!  
James, you should've _listened_ to her go today! Her _Ladyship_ refused to meet my eye while talking to me. Her _son!_ Says she was heart-broken that her first-born, _me_ ," he said pointing to himself, "had brought such _disgrace_ upon the family. She basically compared me to Regulus and _Peter!_ "

"Hang on, Peter was there too?!"

"YES! He doesn't _leave_ her side for one second! He worships her, James! Says it's an _honour_ that _Lady_ Black would even associate herself with someone of inferior birth such as himself!" he said, scrunching up his eyebrows in repulsion. "God, can you believe that guy?!"

"Ugh! I always knew he was a gone case..." mumbled James. "Well, all said and done, though, it really did end up great at the end of day since you got to move in with _me_ , right?" said James, shrugging and grinning at Sirius. "Nasty place, this, Sirius," he sighed. "This pure-blood supremacy frenzy has got to end!"

"You could say that again," replied Sirius, ruefully. "God! Why is everything so messed up in my life right now?!" he slapping his forehead and looking out the window. "First my parents, then I move out, Regulus is missing, Peter loses it, Remus is injured, Izzy and I are fighting, the WAR and NOW! _NOW_ , I find out Izzy isn't really Muggle-born and... and... I can't give her the ring _now?_ Bloody hell, my head hurts!" he yelled.

"Whoa, slow down! Ring, what _ring_? And what's the war got to do with _anything_?" said James, trying to process all that he was thrown at. "Anyway, first thing's first though... You and Izzy are fighting? What in the world about?" asked James.

"Oh, don't get me started on that! You know how I don't talk to her that much when we're outside the Gryffindor common room for fear that someone might spot us? _You_ realize it's all for her bloody safety, right? There's a bloody _war_ going on for Merlin's sake! But, she somehow thinks I'm _ashamed_ to be seen with her and well... You know how girls sometimes tend to over-react? Well, this one deserves a place in the Royal _Theatre_ Club!" he said, mournfully.

James laughed at the last bit and patted Sirius on the back as if to say, _'I feel you, mate!'._ "Okay, so... But what's the deal with the ring?! _Are you proposing?!_ " he asked, wide-eyed and brimming with awe. "HOW COME YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING?!" he yelled, nudging him painfully on the side.

Sirius doubled up in pain and croaked out a weak, " _I was going to!_ " before straightening up and grinning sheepishly at James who continued to glower at him. "Prongs, I was distracted with Wormtail acting like a nutcase and Moony's monthly... _thing_ " he said, giving him a knowing look. "Focus, though, James! What do I _do_?" he said.

"What, Izzy? Come on, she's not that thick to think you're all high and mighty about blood-status and all, now. Just go talk to her, you know how it works, right? I don't know if you're into going down on one leg and all, but I'm sure you'll figure it out!" he said, grinning sheepishly at him. " _Do your thing!_ " he added, with a wink.

Sirius's face lit up. "Really?" he said, and instantly, a broad grin broke out on his face. "Okay, I will then! But, don't tell her anything yet. That's my Christmas present to her!" he said, and patted James' hand as a way of saying _'Thank you'_. "Speaking of girls," continued Sirius. "How's it going for you and Lily?" he asked, with a twinkle in his eyes.

James blushed instantly and shyly ran a hand through his already messy hair. "Well... She er... Everything's just... _brilliant_ ," he said, in a low voice. " _I'm_ growing up!" and the two friends chuckled together.

This time, Harry and Hermione were back in the Greenhouses. An annoyed-looking Isabella stood inside with her hands folded, as if she was waiting for someone. Harry turned around and saw Sirius walking towards them. He kept ruffling his hair up in a nervous attempt to calm himself down (which, obviously was not working at all). However, as soon as he neared the Greenhouses, Sirius turned on his _'I'm-So-Charming'_ strut and casually walked towards her with his hand in his pocket.

Isabella heard footsteps and turned around looking daggers at him. _"Meet me in our 'secret-SNOGGING-spot'?!"_ she screamed, and threw a bit of parchment at him.

Somehow, Sirius found that very funny and instantly broke out in laughter much to her annoyance. "Baby, come on, it's where I kissed you first!" he said, teasingly. That did it.

She bolted head-on at him, eyes blazing, hands flailing, hair flying and started punching every muscle in his body screaming, "YOU... Avoid me... for a WHOLE week... and then... you send me a NOTE?!" she shrieked.

"Ow! Whoa, Izzy, stop it!" he cried and tackled with her for a bit before quickly tying her hands behind back and pulling her close to him.

"Bloody hell, I thought you were going to _murder_ me there with your BARE hands!" he said, chuckling at her red, angry face.

"Listen Sirius, if all this is just a little game for you, I suggest you say that _right_ to my face and walk out of this so-called relationship THIS SECOND!" she yelled but quickly shut up looking at the odd expression on Sirius's face. Despite the struggle that Isabella was putting up, Sirius seemed to have lost himself one more time in those large eyes that stared back at him and simply continued to look at her beautiful face with a slight smile.

"I've missed you..." he said softly and swooped down to kiss her. However, she jerked back and started yelling again.

"And whose fault is that, eh?" she growled through clenched teeth and tried to break apart once again.

"Oh my GOD, Izzy, what in the name of Merlin is your Patronous?! A _tiger_?!" he cried, and led her back into the Greenhouses. "Or is it the _LION..._ like your great ancestor?!" he said, laughing and pushed her up against the wall.

Before he could say anything else, she angrily wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him. Sirius hugged her in earnest and kissed her back adoringly for a moment longer before breaking apart. He cuddled for a second, planting little kisses on her face and neck when she suddenly pulled his face up and said, "Lynx," quite out of the blue, making him look curiously at her.

"My Patronous. It's a lynx," she said.

"Wow... Really? A _wild_ cat?! NICE!" he grinned, appreciatively. "Canadian?" he asked, rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

She raised her eyebrows at him before breaking into a laugh. "Iberian," she said.

Sirius nodded appreciatively at her. "And the best kind of lynx too, I'm impressed!" he said, laughing locking his hands with hers. "Well, Miss Lynx, I have something for you..." he said, looking deeply into her beautiful face. He took her left hand in his and brought up to his chin. Without removing his gaze from her eyes, he took the ring out of his pocket and slowly and dramatically slid it over her ring finger and said, "Bonded for life..."

 _*Crack!*_ came a noise from behind them.

Everything happened so quickly; before they could react, before they could even blink, there was a massive blast behind them and the wall of the Greenhouse exploded with an ear-splitting boom. There was another screech from a wand and a piece of wall right next to Isabella splattered out shoving the two of them sideways.

Isabella rolled over farther away than Sirius as their attacker continued to assault her. Isabella quickly dodged the curses flying her away and scrambled up to make a run for it.

"Izzy, LOOK OUT!" yelled Sirius, and Isabella instinctively ducked to avoid the curse. She was running as fast as she could as the attacker chased her like he was on a mission. Sirius raced towards them as he saw a stunning curse hit her squarely on her back. Rage and fury consumed him as he bolted towards the attacker, his long eating up the distance between them in mere seconds. As soon as he neared the masked attacker, Sirius leaped high in the air, grabbed the attacker's wand with a bone-crunching bite and landed on four legs as an enormous, angry black dog. The large dog towered over Isabella, as it menacingly growled a sound of death at the man.

Both the attacker _and_ Isabella looked like they had been slapped by ghost as the great, black dog bared its teeth even more menacingly and inched closer to the attacker, threatening to rip his head right off. The attacker seemed immobilised with fear at first before darting away in the opposite direction and running like a mad man. With another spine-chilling growl the dog pranced towards the attacker and caught him within seconds. The last thing Harry saw was the attacker's robes being ripped apart and blood splattering up in the air before the scenes changed once more.

The images solidified once again and this time, Sirius, Harry and Hermione were standing in the Headmaster's office.

Sirius was seated on the chair, shaking with rage; his face was red with fury. He looked like he couldn't get himself to even look at Dumbledore, who was standing opposite to him with a calm expression, waiting for Sirius to settle down.

"Love works in mysterious ways, does it not, Sirius?" he said in a low voice, looking out a window. Sirius looked up.

Dumbledore looked at him through his half-moon glasses with a mingled expression of appreciation, amazement and sadness. "Today, my boy, you have made me truly understand that no Magic is greater than Love."

"Professor, WHAT just happened? Who was it that attacked us today? Why are they attacking us? I don't understand! There are _so_ many students in this school, and yet... Somehow _she_ tends to always be the one under everyone's radar!" he spat out, while balling his hand into a tight fist in an attempt to contain his rage. "Why, WHY, Professor? I need answers!" he yelped, as his chest rose and fell with pure anger.

Dumbledore surveyed him for a second before saying, "Not everything is always as simple as black and white, Sirius. Some things transcend barriers and go beyond anything you or I could possibly imagine. However, before we delve deep into the mysteries of tonight, I must tell you that I am _beyond_ impressed with I saw here tonight. Your skills and abilities, dear boy, are far superior to any student we've taught here in Hogwarts. An _Animagus_ at the tender age of seventeen? You never cease to surprise me, Sirius!" he said, his eyes exuding genuine admiration. "Truly remarkable," he said, nodding his head in sheer awe. Sirius seemed to calm down a little upon hearing those words, but continued to itch for answers as he sat there, shaking his leg non-stop.

"As to who it was that attacked you and Miss Williams and why, I may have to finally fill you in on everything I know," he continued, placing his hands on the table in front of him. Sirius merely nodded. "Sirius, I had a few officials from the Ministry visit me in my office to discuss the Auror program that is to commence next year. I was unaware, however, that our meeting was a mere distraction to keep me busy while an assassin was sent to track Isabella down.

"Wh-What?" Sirius's head shot up as shock crept up in his eyes. "The _Ministry?!_ " he asked with an incredulous look.

"Yes, dear boy, the _Ministry._ " Dumbledore said, sighing audibly. "Sirius... It will seem shocking to you, but you and Isabella are what are called a 'Twin Soul'. A prophecy, about a cursed pair being born again and their possible union in this birth, was made mere months ago. That prophecy was about you and Isabella, my boy" he paused, as Sirius found his breath knocked right out of his lungs. "Every prophecy that ever gets told gets registered in the Hall of Prophecies at the Ministry, Sirius.

"According to the prophecy, a curse hangs around the coming together of the Twin Souls which would ultimately destroy all of Magic and its purity, never to be restored to its original charm. It means, the longer your love lasts, the messier the War gets. Every day spent together would bring upon more and more bloodshed and havoc. And..." he paused, sounding devastated. "IF she sacrifices her life for you, Sirius, it would mean the end of Magic itself."

Sirius looked stunned. His eyes were wide with shock.

"What...? I... I don't understand, Professor. _End of MAGIC?_ Because... Because two _extremely random_ people seem to fancy one another...?" he asked, referring to him and Isabella.

"Random?" asked Dumbledore. "You think your falling for Ms Williams was a random event that has no significance? Sirius, if there's one universal truth I abide by, it is that nothing, and I mean NOTHING, happens without a reason... Do you realise you and Isabella have been born and were _destined_ to fall in love because of a curse that was cast upon the Gryffindor family by a Slytherin heir, more than _three thousand_ years ago?

"If you could be someone else, Sirius, I'd say you were Daerian Gryffindor, the High King and commander-in-chief of the Woldorinian kingdom in your previous birth while Isabella is Irvette Gryffindor, his wife and Queen. The coming together of the Twin Souls, is not a normal phenomenon that happens to other witches and wizards. Your love for Isabella, unfortunately, happens to come from the curse. You are _cursed_ to fall in love with each other, Sirius..." he said, and paused to look at Sirius who had gone extremely pale in his face.

"The Slytherin's curse is such that, in the event where History were to repeat itself, where Irvette's descendant gives up her life to protect her husband, his curse would get unleashed that would ultimately wipe out the Wizarding race _entirely_... _Now_ do you understand the risk involved and the urgency of the Ministry to assassinate Isabella, Sirius? Surely, you must understand _now_ why your love for Isabella comes at such a high cost...?" asked Dumbledore, eyeing him painfully.

Sirius didn't say anything for a long time, as a cold sweat dripped down the side of his face. "So... So... We—We're _cursed_...?" he stammered. "And... And... We should never...? I mean... I—I should let her _go_? Not... _Be_ with her? We'll never actually get to _BE_ with each other?!" he yelled, looking at Dumbledore through blood-shot eyes.

Dumbledore looked up exasperated and quite tongue-tied at the moment as he looked up helplessly at Sirius. "No Sirius, my dear boy... How do I put this?" he mused more to himself. "It—Most unfortunately, Sirius, it doesn't matter if you love her not. In fact, it's immaterial because, either way, she must die for all of us to live. For Magic to go on... There isn't any other way..."

"WHAT?! No professor, that can't be it! No, no no! I can't let anything happen to her! _WE_ cannot let anything happen to her!" he appealed, desperately. "Professor, we've got to do something. What do I _do_?" Sirius pleaded.

Dumbledore looked at him helplessly.

Sirius stood up now, unable to sit for another second and started pacing the room in utter panic. "Professor, she can't die! Why I... I couldn't imagine a _world_ without her!" he said, tears pouring down his eyes. He was shaking uncontrollably, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. "Professor, there must be a way to lift the curse! Please! Help us! Help _HER!_ We... But... But..." he stammered and stopped short in his tracks, as if a new bout of realization had suddenly struck him. "Why is the _Ministry_ hunting her down again?" he asked slowly, looking petrified.

Harry knew Sirius had hit the nail right on its head this time, because, he had NEVER seen Dumbledore look so vulnerable and dumbstruck in his entire life before. He nervously eyed Sirius for a second longer before finally blurting it all out: "To prevent her from sacrificing her life, Sirius. If they kill her, the curse will be lifted, Magic can be restored, and... The Ministry believes You-Know-Who can be conquered."


	16. James's Army

**Will hopefully try and get three more chapters up by this weekend! :)**

 **SarahELupin Thank you so much! :) And yes, I do prefer the books to the movies any day... =)**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: James's Army**

* * *

Sirius's face was contorted with a mixture of a multitude of emotions as his brain slowly grasped the depth of Dumbledore's words.

"Are you actually telling me that the _Ministry_ is considering THAT as an option to fight You-Know-Who?! Professor, this is MADNESS! Isn't the Ministry supposed to PROTECT witches and wizards from harm instead of plotting to eliminate them?!"

"Unfortunately, Sirius, according to them, they _are_ keeping the Magical community's best interest at heart. We live in a world where the boundaries of 'right' and 'wrong' are fast disappearing, my boy. The Ministry would merely dismiss your argument and regard Isabella as _'collateral damage'_ in their quest to conquer the Dark Lord and, unfortunately, most of the witches and wizards would take the Ministry's side on this," said Dumbledore.

"So you're saying we have to run away from my brother Regulus, Death Eaters, You-Know-Who himself, the Ministry AND the Magical community at LARGE?!" bellowed Sirius, and threw his hands up the air in frustration.

Dumbledore stared calmly at him. "Sirius... Dear boy, I did not summon you to my office for us to discuss the unfortunate nature of Isabella's situation and to draw the conclusion that hers is a lost cause, it certainly is not. Sirius, you need to understand something: there is _no_ such thing as a lost cause. It may seem like nothing can be done about a certain situation, but there is always, always, _always_ something you can do to make it right."

"So what can be done about this curse, Professor?" asked Sirius, his voice loaded with innocence.

"We fight back."

"Professor, we already are...!"

"Fight back harder, then, Sirius," said Dumbledore. "She's brave and strong-willed. Nothing can or will shake her. When the Ministry sees how powerful an Auror she is she would eventually seem like an asset to them; help them win the war against You-Know-Who. For that, however, she must be invincible. Show her what she can do, Sirius. Teach her everything you know. During the Auror program, she will personally train with me as well. All of Hogwarts will protect her against the Dark Lord, Sirius, no student of Hogwarts will be abandoned at any cost; so please don't think it's you and Isabella against the world. This fight is not going to be _that_ hard, I assure you," he said.

"About the curse, Professor?" asked Sirius, looking absolutely devastated. "Would we not get to have each other... in our lives?" he asked in a small voice.

Dumbledore smiled at Sirius. His expression was unreadable. However, his tone revealed supressed anxiety. "About that... I'm afraid we will simply have to wait and see what would happen, my boy. Only time will tell... Go get some rest now, Sirius," he said.

Sirius nodded and left the office. The scenes changed and Harry and Hermione were in the hospital wing next to Isabella's bed. A whole bunch of seventh years stood around and chatted merrily around Isabella. James, as usual, was keeping everyone in splits with his antics and Lily, Harry noticed, silently admired him from behind Alice. At this point, Sirius opened the door and stopped in his tracks as he noticed the large crowd around Isabella's bed. James was the first to look up and happily beckoned him to join the rest.

Isabella, who was craning her neck to catch a glimpse of Sirius, looked at him with mingled expressions of surprise, shock and excitement. He walked in reluctantly and flocked down next to James and Peter as the group burst into chatter once again.

"We didn't know you guys were Animagi...!"

"Oh you should've seen how big the black dog was...!"

"...you guys are just AMAZING!"

"Oh Sirius was the first to figure it out, you know?! Mate, tell them!" said James to Sirius, but immediately quietened down looking at the forlorn expression on his face. The others did not seem to notice this, however, and continued to chat with Isabella. After several minutes, the group started to wave their goodbyes to her and filed out of the wing wishing her a speedy recovery. Peter and Remus bid them goodbye too, while James decided to stay back.

Once the hospital door closed, James turned to Sirius and simply said, "Spill."

Isabella, who looked confused initially, realized Sirius looked awful. "Oi..." she began and nudged him on the side. He merely shook it off with an exasperated expression and gave her a warning look as if asking her to back off.

Isabella, however, looked unperturbed and went on. "Honestly? Sirius, look, there's no point moping around about what's already happened and gone! I mean I _know_ you're mad, heck, _I_ was mad to the point of boiling too, but I think we should let it go already. I know we were attacked, I know it's absolutely mind-wrecking but look, Sirius, I'm fine now! I am recovering, and that man whose flesh you ripped right off has been taken to St. Mungo's so there's nothing to worry about...?" she asked, uncertainly. "Or is this about me finding out your shaggy dog Animagus form...?" she said with a smirk, trying to make him laugh.

"Izzy, this does not have anything to do with... There's something bigger and..." he put his hands on his head and stared at the floor. "We're doomed, is all I can say," he said, slowly looking up and rubbing his temple. Sirius quickly filled them in on everything Dumbledore had said to him and turned to James for help.

James sat there and studied the matter for a bit before nodding his head at Sirius and saying, "If you ask me, there's really nothing to panic about." Sirius looked at him questioningly, to which James added, "I mean I know Isabella is, for _utterly ROTTEN reasons_ , right on TOP of the hit-list, but she's not alone. Heck, every other Muggle-born out there is in as big a danger of being attacked as Izzy here is! Only difference is that, we _know_ for sure that Izzy IS a target, while a person like Lily wouldn't know it until it happened. So it's no big deal, I think, mate. We'll figure this out, okay?" he said, as Sirius's face started to relax almost instantly.

"Listen, you two, I've already been thinking of getting us all together and practising duelling and other forms of defence for a long time now, ever since Izzy's parents were... you know... attacked. I'm sure as hell not letting ANYTHING happen to any of us! After all, I already have decided that my daughter is going to marry your," he gestured to Sirius and Isabella, " _son_ , so I may have to keep you two alive!" he said, and three of them laughed out loud. James straightened up and continued in a more serious tone this time. "So, I guess this situation simply makes me want to start training a little earlier on itself!"

Sirius nodded, a sudden look of relief spreading over his face. "Right you are, mate. Merlin, am I thankful to have you around, eh? I panicked like mental!" he said, grinning finally. James thumped him on the back reassuringly, hugged Isabella and bade them goodbye. Once they were alone, Sirius finally looked up at Isabella's face who hadn't taken her eyes off of him ever since he started narrating Dumbledore's story.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, quietly and absent-mindedly made his way up on the bed next to her. He noticed that she had a bad gash on her leg and one of her ribs was broken.

"Fantastic," she said, with a hint of sarcasm in her tone and rested her head on his hand. Sirius noticed the tip of her nose and cheeks were reddening fast, as if she on the verge of crying. She put her hand out in the air and examined the ring on her finger before drifting off into a world of her own. Sirius grinned at her, "Penny to your thoughts?" he said, as he stared at the snaking hand above him.

"You know as a child, Angela and I used to play dress-up, and, it was _always_ about me getting married," she said, as her face curved into a smile despite the sadness that crept up her nose. Sirius smiled at the thought. "Used to waltz around the attic in mum's dress and heels and the ridiculously dark red lipstick while, Angela held my veil. And every time I said, 'I do!' Angela used to throw my veil aside, jump to my side and screamed, 'And Sirius says, I do too!'" she said, and the two of them broke into a wide grin.

"She adored you, you know?" she said as Sirius continued to look straight ahead at her outstretched hand with the ring while the scene played in his head.

"But never ONCE, in _all_ those times I played the bride," continued Isabella, "did I think I'd have to let you go eventually," she said, as a tear trickled down the corner of her eyes. ( _"Izzy, come on..."_ he began). "No, just look around us, Sirius! From the second we got together to now!" she whispered. " _Now_ , I understand why. I'm a curse..." she said, as she shook her tears away. Sirius turned around to look at her with an incredulous look on his face.

He propped himself on his elbow before saying, "Izzy, look, I am not going to delve on this _absolutely_ _rotten_ idea of us being cursed! Yes, US, it's not just _you_ for heaven's sake, so I'm NOT going to let you use that as an excuse to break up with me! Anyway, I am happy as long as I get to spend THIS second in peace with you; I'm not even looking ahead to _tomorrow,_ " and paused to see if she was relaxing. "Also, can I say something? Angie _was_ right," he said, a slow tease spread across his face. " _Sirius..."_ he said pointing to himself, "is saying 'I do!' too!" he said, grinning broadly at her and pressing his lips to her cheek. "Always..." he said, as she beamed at him, blinking back tears.

"Anyway... You really need to rest now, baby, so I'll get going," he said, as he swooped down for a kiss. "I'll come back again tomorrow, okay?" he said, as he got up and threw a blanket over her.

"Do come, I miss you already!" she said, and made a pout.

"I will, baby," he said, hugged her one last time and left.

The hospital dissolved and Harry and Hermione suddenly found themselves flying on a broom as the wind whistled in their ears. Harry realized their broom was flying next to Sirius's and was turning in exactly the same way as Sirius's was. Harry soon also noticed that it was not a Quidditch match in place, but James's defense training program. As the head of the Auror Cell in Hogwarts, James was assigned to draw out a detailed training schedule for all Aurors who were inducted into the force that was minutely scrutinized by the Ministry. it looked like most of the Slytherins had opted out of of the Program which left very few in the Auror Cell.

Today seemed like Day-One of the Training Program.

Sirius, Isabella, Remus, Lily, Edgar and Sturgis were flying on one side while were James, Peter, Alice, Claiborne, Dorcas, Benjy and Scarlett flew on the other side. The two groups were sending curses at each other and practising the art of dodging and manoeuvring. Harry had read somewhere that this technique was used to sharpen one's senses and made them react more quickly and impulsively while duelling.

"Izzy! You're not fast enough!" bellowed Sirius, as he ducked and whizzed past a curse that was sent from the ground by Alice.

Isabella saw three curses hurtling towards her from three different directions and tried manoeuvring past them but decided to tilt her broom upwards and shot at full-speed towards the sky as the three curses collided and exploded behind her.

"Isabella Williams, that is CRAPPY flying! CRAPPY! I don't know HOW you won all those matches for us in our fifth year! YOU DON'T GET SO MUCH TIME TO THINK WHEN YOU'RE BEING _ATTACKED_ , you know?!" he bawled as he swerved his broom towards her.

"Sirius! I'm TRYING! CUT ME SOME SLACK!" she roared back from above.

"Yes, Sirius, give her a break!" yelled Remus from below. "No one's after her neck TODAY you know?!"

"Yeah, well, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT NOW, DO WE?!" he yelled back. He sped towards Isabella and said, "Izzy, you need to be more tactful than that!" he yelled as he beautifully dodged James's curse and sent a hex racing towards Lily's broom without thinking. It seemed to come so effortlessly to him. "Keep your eyes open and REALLY listen! You HAVE to assess the source of the sound and move intuitively, Izzy!"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Sirius, I KNOW! Let me just get the hang of this first!"

Unfortunately, she hadn't noticed Claiborne aiming for the end of her broom. The hex hit the tail and her broom caught fire almost instantly. Panic struck as Isabella found herself hurtling at top speed towards the snow-covered ground. Lily and Alice stiffened and held their breath while Harry saw James zooming towards her from below and dismounted her from the broom just in time as it crashed to the ground. The others let a sigh of relief from above and continued duelling on their brooms.

Sirius landed next to James who was checking up on Isabella to see if she was alright.

"Izzy, what in the world was that?! Alice and _Claiborne_ who've NEVER _flown_ before are doing so much better than you! What is _wrong_ with you?!" he yelled.

"Sirius," James warned.

"Oh my GOD, Sirius, let it go! Maybe I wasn't able to pay attention with you YELLING out instructions at me all the time!" she screamed.

"Yeah, well, with THAT kind of flying...!"

"Mate, back OFF!" yelled James and roughly pushed him against the wall. "Give her a break, will you?! You're starting to sound a lot like that _git_ you become during our Quidditch matches!"

"James," huffed Isabella, "I'm going to cool off for a bit and join you up in sometime, okay?" she said and walked off without looking back at Sirius.

"Izzy, come on!" started Sirius.

"No, Sirius, _stop it_!" James yelled, glaring daggers at him. "What in the world is _WRONG_ with you?!" he added in a hushed tone, whilst looking more dangerous than ever. "That's it, you need to stay the HELL away from her for AS LONG AS WE TRAIN!" he yelled, pointing a shaky finger at him.

"James, you don't understand..."

"NO! Mate, I swear, you keep this up, you won't HAVE a girlfriend to yell at!" he said, nudging Sirius painfully in the ribs, while he pinned him against the wall with his other hand. "Just know that... She WILL catch up, she IS really good at what she does and you have GOT to stop yelling at her all the time! Just... _trust_ her, okay?" said James, finally letting go of Sirius, but he continued fume under James's gaze. " _Are we clear...?_ "

" _Yes,_ Alright, YES! _Fine,_ I'll leave her alone! Let it go, already!" Sirius exclaimed and started walking away from James.

"Padfoot, hey!" he called and jogged after him. As soon as he reached Sirius, James threw his arm around his neck and sniggered, "Trust me, you'll thank me one day," he muttered, while playfully punching Sirius's arm. "Oh sure, why not," Sirius replied, while rolling his eyes at his friend before the two broke into a grin.

After about an hour of bone-numbing training session, the group settled down on the ground to catch a break. Professor McGonagall, who had dropped in to check on the progress of the training, was talking to Benjy and Frank about mastering non-verbal spells and charms while Lily and Dorcas were practising the _Alarte Ascendare_ spell on a nearby rock. The rest of the boys were chatting away about manoeuvring strategies with James as Sirius spotted Isabella helping out with the refreshments in the corner.

"Hey..." he said, as he neared her. She looked up and nodded at him.

"Someone's still not cooled off, I see..." he said, sniggering stupidly at her as she shot him a cold look. She mutely handed him some lemonade and went back to sorting the brooms on the ground. Sirius rolled his eyes at her head and gently pulled her into an embrace from the back.

"Oi... My little Ice Princess..." he whispered in her ear. "I behaved like a complete troll earlier and well... I'm sorry I..." ( _"Silencio"_ she said, pointing her wand at him) A shocked expression shot over Sirius's face as he felt his larynx close and shut down instantly and NO WORDS came out of his mouth no matter how much he tried. He was staring wide-eyed at her as if to say, _'What in the world was THAT for?!'_

She laughed out loud, kissed him on the cheek and said, "Want to practice some non-verbal duelling? With me?"

A smirk broke out on his face as he raised an eyebrow at her challengingly, and tightened his grip around his wand. He was fully grinning now as he took his duelling position and motioned her to hit him with her best shot. The scenes began to change as Harry heard her yell ' _Stupefy!'_ which was dexterously blocked by Sirius.

This time, Harry and Hermione found themselves in the Great Hall which was fairly empty owing to the fact that most of the students had returned home for Christmas. All except the Gryffindor table which was bustling with students _from every other House_ , finishing up dinner after a hard day's training. Harry saw Lily, Isabella, Frank and Edgar along with a couple of Senior Aurors from the Ministry charting out the next course of defense training while while James, Sirius and Remus were huddled together looking thoughtful, like they were planning something.

"James, honestly, practicing on the grounds needs to stop right away," said Remus. "I get uncomfortable every time a bunch of Slytherins pass us by, mate. I don't mind the leering and the jeering, obviously, it hardly affects me, but seeing as many are openly starting to declare their _love_ for You-Know-Who, I feel we're being foolish. I mean, at least when it is unofficial training and just us Gryffindors, I really feel we ought to find someplace discreet."

"Moony is right, you know," said Sirius. "We need to find some place secret. Some place that they are completely unaware of. I sooo want to drive them _nuts_!" he said, smacking his hands together.

James grinned at his friend and said, "Sounds like a plan. Well, for a place though, let's see... We have the Shrieking Shack...?"

"Too old and mouldy," said Remus.

"How about the Forbidden Forest?"

"Not enough space to move around," said Sirius.

"Er... The Library?!" called James with a sheepish smile on his face. "The Slytherins _hardly_ ever come there!" he said, jerking his head in the direction of the library. Remus and Sirius merely looked at each other with an exasperated expression before Remus threw a book at James as if asking him to _'shut up and come up with something better than that!'_

"How about the Room of Requirement?" asked Sirius, clicking his fingers together. James and Remus looked at each other and approvingly nodded at Sirius. "Yes! That's it! That's where we train! THAT'S out secret spot! We ought to spread the word," he said and ran towards Edgar and Frank to share his brilliant idea.


	17. The Lion and The Heir

**Disclaimer: Same as always!**

 **Sorry about the delay. Not been keeping well. Glad I was able to cough this chap up either way! :)**

 **A/N: Have added a little bit more detail to the chapter titled "Isabella Williams" just to add depth and background to Sirius and Isabella's relationship. It doesn't change anything though, so re-reading is optional. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: The Lion and The Heir**

* * *

Harry and Hermione were thrust sideways as they were pushed into a new memory. They were standing inside a house that was relatively empty, like it was uninhabited. Through the window, Harry could see Sirius and James and the rest of the seventh years (along with Frank Longbottom) apparate right outside the house sounding rather cheerful.

Sirius kicked the door open, stretched his hands out and yelled, "HOME, s _weet_ home!" he said, grinning broadly and turning around to look at the others who merely rolled their eyes and trudged their way in. "I must say, I _love_ this place! Uncle Alphard is a kind, _kind_ man! Must write a song about him one day," he said, grinning idiotically at James who scoffed at him and moved a large trunk inside. "So, time to spice things up a bit in here!" he said, with an evil grin on his face and rubbing his hands together.

"Yeah, totally!" quipped in Remus, who was right behind him. "Isabella is SO totally going to let YOU remodel this house! Yeah, good luck with that, mate!" he said, laughing out loud with James, while they set up the living room.

Sirius's mouth flew open as he dramatically turned to look at Isabella as if trying to ask her if Remus was right. She merely laughed and said, "No… Go on, do what you like with the house. It's yours anyway!" she said, smiling widely at him.

"Ha! Eat that, Moony!" he said, playfully punching Remus on his hand before rushing towards Isabella for a quick peck on the cheek. "It's yours too, now, you know? You, me and Angie, and Regulus if he does come back, for the _rest_ of our lives!" he said, dramatically gazing towards the sky as if he could look into the future. "By the way, thanks a lot for agreeing to move in with me," he said mumbling into her ear which invited a lot of gripe from the rest of the group.

"Aww, cut it out Padfoot! I thought we had an agreement! NO PDA unless one of us is _dying_!" yelled James, and playfully threw a pillow at the couple.

"Oh, yeah? Yeah, okay, so let me see what you'd do RIGHT now, if I told you that Lily has been dying to get a kiss from you for over _three hours_ now?!" he said and chortled away.

Harry could hear sudden, sharp intakes of breath from the girls. Isabella nudged him hard looking stunned. "Sirius ORION Black?!" yelled Lily, while Claiborne said, "You're HORRIBLE, Sirius, I can't believe you were _eavesdropping_ on our conversation?!" biting back a smirk. Alice, who was helping Frank out with the table, merely rolled her eyes and burst out laughing.

James sported a look that seemed to suggest something along the lines of winning the jackpot as he stared from Lily to Sirius in utter disbelief. "James, Sirius is just being an idiot!" said Lily, blushing furiously as Sirius pushed James towards Lily.

"No, I mean, I don't know if I can say no to kissing _you_ , Lily..." teased James, as he stalked her, making her squirm uncomfortably while the boys cheered him on from the back.

"Yeah, Sirius, _really_?!" she said, and started laughing out too unable to contain herself. "James, no, honestly, back off!" she squealed and darted around the house as James ran after her, grinning widely.

"Go James, show us how it's done!" yelled Sirius, as James wrapped his hands around a squealing Lily and lifted her off her feet and the rest of group burst out laughing. After a terrific kiss, he let her down and said more to himself than to the rest of the group, "We're getting married this summer." The scenes started to change as the happy news seemed to explode and shoot out through the roof. Before the scene dissolved and went into another memory, Harry saw the group of friends get into a tight group hug, revelling in happiness. A pang of sadness hit Harry as he watched the happy faces blur into another memory.

This time, Harry and Hermione were standing in a bizarrely strange room that that looked more like an amphitheater with a roof. Rows and rows and empty seats rose up all around them with a bunch of Senior Aurors seated on one corner of the stand, keenly observing the ground. Soon, Harry was distracted by several flying sparks and jets of light that rose up in the air and illuminated the entire place. At the centre of the hall, a fierce battle of the wands ensued. Upon closer look, Harry realized it was Isabella duelling with Lily, James, Remus _and_ Sirius _all at the same time!_

Hermione's jaw dropped as she witnessed the four-against-one duel. Isabella was MIND-BLOWING: her hands seemed to move at the speed of light as she blocked and combated the curses that hit her from every corner. She was so fast and so FIERCE that the others didn't (or _couldn't_ ) seem to go easy on her anymore: it was a REAL battle and _anything_ could go wrong if Isabella's concentration slipped for even for a split second!

Hermione clutched Harry's hand as she saw James and Sirius literally prancing at her with their curses. They were duelling with absolute ease and flair while Lily and Remus were dripping with sweat as they battled the curses hurtling their way from Isabella's wand. _"Protego!" "Petrificus Totallus!" "INCENDIOOOO!"_

With a _'Whup!'_ and ' _Shoosh!,'_ Isabella blocked all the curses hurtling her way before going on the offence and hammering them with curses of her own, most of which were unknown to Harry and Hermione. Suddenly, a blinding light struck the room as Sirius's curse collided and connected with hers: sparks flew everywhere as the two curses continued to connect with each other. The reaction of the collision was beyond anything Harry or Hermione could wrap their head around. From that second on, any curse ensuing from any other wand simply merged with the light that connected Sirius and Isabella's wands and, a baffled Hermione gaped on. With an ear-splitting shriek, Isabella swivelled her wand upwards and, to Harry's utmost surprise, her attackers were lifted ten feet into the air! Isabella scrunched up her face, gathered every ounce of energy left in her body, spread her hands out and waited briefly for a second before shoving them forward and the effect was dumbfounding: Lily, Remus, James and Sirius were hurled backwards and a great gust of wind engulfed the entire room for five full seconds.

"Whoaaa!" let out James, while the entire room erupted into applause. A very red Lily, Remus and Sirius too scrambled to their feet, a look of utter bafflement hung on their faces. Everyone in the chamber had been gawking at the scene for a full ten minutes. Only then, did Harry realize where he actually was: about 40 students thronged the place along with fifty other Ministry officials who were seated across the gallery overlooking the duelling ground. Harry realized this must be the official induction ceremony into the Ministry's Auror Cell that will be designated to fight Voldemort.

"Merlin, that felt GREAT! How did I DO, Professor?" squealed Isabella, and turned around to meet Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall who descended the stairs along with the Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold and two other aged-looking Aurors, who apparently were observing Isabella's progress.

"Why, I am absolutely _dumbfounded_ , Miss Williams, that was remarkable," said Bagnold with a steely smirk, while McGonagall clapped her hands together with a wide smile spread across her face. Harry and Hermione smirked a little watching their Transfiguration professor's face light up. They had never seen her so excited before; not _even_ when Gryffindor won the House Cup back when he was in school!

"Why, thank you, Minister," said Isabella with an equally cold tone. For a split second, Bagnold and Isabella's eyes locked in a fierce face-off which was immediately broken as Dumbledore lightly clapped his hands together. Without waiting for a response, Isabella turned to Dumbledore and started to chatter away happily, much to the annoyance of the Ministry officials. "But, professor, I don't understand. I don't know what I did in the end but it seemed to work. How was I able to overthrow four of them all at once, Professor?" she asked Dumbledore, who had merely sported a calm smile ever since her victory.

"The power of that ring on your finger, Isabella," he said, eyeing her with great admiration through his half-moon glasses. "The power of Love. That ring on your finger has great meaning, my dear. It combines the Blacks' family Magic with your own family's and thus, was the effect of it all," he said beaming at her.

She turned around to look at Sirius who was sporting a wide grin, his face exuding admiration for her. Bagnold clearly did not appreciate being ignored and disrespected in this fashion. in her own office and wanted to being the attention back to her.

"It is time, Ms Williams. By the looks of it, I think is wise to _officially_ announce your placement in the Auror Cell to the Ministry tomorrow," she said, as Dumbledore smiled warmly at her. "I am honoured to announce that you will be the first ever student to formally assume your position as an Auror from Hogwarts," she said, giving her the official roll of parchment that confirms her recruitment into the Ministry.

"You are ready. You are… _invincible_ if I may!" Dumbledore said, grinning broadly and holding his hands out as an ecstatic Isabella ran into his hands. "Just… _Never_ get complacent, Isabella," he said with his hands still gently wrapped around her. "Do not let them win!" he said, as a gust of wind washed over Harry and Hermione.

The images dissolved once more. Both Dumbledore and Isabella disappeared all too quickly and Harry and Hermione were transported to the boys' dormitory this time. Sirius, James, Peter, Sturgis and Remus were sound asleep when suddenly, their door flew open and Lily shrieked, "Sturgis, James, Sirius, Remus, PETER! We're being _ATTACKED_! Hogwarts is BEING ATTACKED! McGonagall _NEEDS US_! Let's go, let's go, let's GO!" she said clapping her hands around in total panic.

The five of them nearly had a heart-attack as they bolted out of their beds and ran out their dorms to hear the sound of complete chaos: students screaming and jumping out of bed, a raging fire many floors below, the screeches of a very large animal or bird along the windows and the clash of wands.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" bellowed James.

"HOGWARTS IS BEING ATTACKED! You-Know-Who and his followers are ransacking the school!" yelled Lily as the five of them burst into the common room to join the rest of the House there. Isabella, Alice and Claiborne all stood there with their wands out, shouting out instructions to fifth and sixth year students. Harry looked outside the window and saw that several trees on the grounds were blazing with fire and, the Ravenclaw wing was aflame too. The screeching noise, Harry and Hermione realized, were made by massive Griffins (at least 20 of them) that were ridden by hooded men who were patrolling the grounds.

"How long has it been since you lot got down here?!" bellowed Sirius, pulling his wand out and drinking in the war scene in full.

"ABOUT FIVE MINUTES!" yelled back, Alice, as she mouthed protective charms and enchantments to prevent the entry of Death Eaters into the Gryffindor tower.

"What, in the name of Merlin, is going ON?!" yelled Remus.

"McGonagall has instructed us to NOT let anyone inside our tower!" yelled Isabella. "It looks like the Death Eaters are turning the castle upside down, like they're looking for something! The Ravenclaw tower has already been searched and burnt to the ground!" bellowed Isabella, as she sent a blasting curse at a Death Eater on a Griffin from the window.

"Yeah, and several students are injured, even DEAD!" yelled Claiborne.

"Where are they now? The Death Eaters, I mean!" asked James. "What the hell are we doing IN HERE when we should be OUT THERE fighting these morons off?!"

"They're in the Hufflepuff tower, James! It won't be long before they enter the Gryffindor tower! We need to find a way to evacuate the tower and send students HOME!" bellowed Sturgis. Several first year students shrieked as a Griffin's roar thundered through their walls.

"You guys! We are NOT concentrating!" yelled James. "Ok attention, EVERYONE!" he bellowed, making the entire common room shut up and turn around. James conjured up a large writing board while Isabella, Lily, Alice, Remus, Peter, Sirius and Sturgis gathered around him.

"Okay, you all, let's just _think_ for a minute. First thing's first: We need to rescue AS MANY STUDENTS as possible! Sturgis, Alice, Claiborne and Remus! You four will lead the younger students out of Hogwarts through one of the several passageways that we know! Best way out would be via the Shrieking Shack! Take the Map with you, Remus. Make sure NO STUDENT is left behind in the tower! If they're looking for something in the four Houses, being INSIDE the tower is the most foolish thing one could do!"

"Right you are, mate!" said Sirius.

"Remus, Sturgis, look out for enemies and keep your eyes open AT ALL TIMES!" continued James. "Once you reach the Shrieking Shack, you lot will apparate and settle down with the rest of the students in Sirius's new house in Dorset! NO ONE knows about him moving there, so you all should be safe and fine just for a little while!" he said, glaring at the group in front of him. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yes, and Clay and Alice," added Sirius. "You two will stay back in Dorset and make sure you send enough owls out informing parents of the students' whereabouts."

"But I want to come back and help you lot here, Sirius!" protested Alice. "I'm not leaving Frank alone here in this MADNESS!"

James rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Claiborne opened her mouth.

"It's fine, it's fine, I'll send an owl to Mary and get her to help me with the students. Alice can come back! What's next?!" she asked.

"Great! Now that _that's_ settled, the rest of us will fight off the Death Eaters and understand what it is that they're after!" yelled James. "Oh, and Izzy, we need you by our side AT _ANY_ COST!" he said, looking more over at Sirius than Isabella. "Okay, so that's settled then! You lot, PLEASE be careful and Remus, Sturgis and Alice, RETURN to the school as soon as the first, second, third and fourth years are safely apparated to our new hide-out spot! Let's go!" he said, and the group jumped up and went about their proposed tasks.

The entire Gryffindor House filed out of the tower and the group split into two: the younger students led by Remus and Sturgis went down to the third floor corridor while the Aurors fled towards the Great Hall.

The castle had turned into a war-zone over night. Splattered walls, fires flaming everywhere, students running in every direction, whizzes and shrieks of wands from above and below, blood-splattered stone floors and the ominous roar of doom everywhere.

The Aurors reached the Entrance Hall and found Professors Flitwik, Binns, McGonagall and Sprout guarding the entrance to the castle, while several Aurors from other Houses were fending off Death Eaters from the windows in the Great Hall.

"Frank!" yelled James and the group ran over to him.

"Oh thank GOD! All of you are all well! Where is Alice?" yelled Frank, as he briefly hugged James.

"She's helping students out of the castle, mate! She's going to be fine! What's going on here?!" yelled James as the group took up their positions, with their backs to each other and keeping a keen eye on the look-out.

"Dunno, mate! You-Know-Who apparently has instructed the Death Eaters to find him some sort of treasure! A treasure, like an heirloom, that belonged to each of the Founders and… and our tower is unrecognizable now!" he said, as he sent a blasting curse at a Death Eaters to help McGonagall out.

"So where are these treasures located?!" yelled Isabella, as she hexed a hooded Death Eater climbing down the stairs to the Entrance Hall.

"In some sort of chamber! Every Founder has a chamber of their own in this castle! Dumbledore has instructed us to protect the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor's chambers! Dorcas, Emmeline, Dedalus, Caradoc, Edgar and Benjy are already up on the roof preventing Death Eaters from entering from above while I'm covering the lower floors down here with Michael, Ornelle, Mavis, Colin, Julian, Gideon and the professors!"

"But where ARE these chambers?" bellowed Sirius, looking over his shoulder at Frank.

"You got to figure that part out, mate!" yelled back Frank. "Now, let's split! Lily, Peter and I would go to the Hufflepuff tower while you three," he said pointing to James, Sirius and Isabella, "go find the Gryffindor heirloom! Use Isabella's pocket clocks, you lot! Let's go!" he said, and the group split.

Isabella, James and Sirius ran up to the second floor. "How in the WORLD are we going to find out the location of the Gryffindor chamber?!" yelled Sirius. "James, I don't remember seeing anything like it on the MAP! Gryffindor or ANY OTHER chamber of any other House!"

"No, mate, I have seen some empty plots in the castle and has made me wonder why such a lot of space hasn't been put to proper use!" said James, catching his breath. "For instance, there is one _underneath_ Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the first floor and another's on the seventh floor which looks like our Room of Requirement!"

"Bloody hell, why didn't you _say_ anything?!" asked Sirius, managing to crack a joke.

"Well, wanted to be the first to explore them before I surprised you with it," grinned James. Isabella rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Anyway, I think we should try with the room on the seventh floor!"

"James, were there any other such plots on the castle?" asked Isabella.

"Yeah, well, one on the Clock Tower," said James.

Isabella mutely looked down at her own pocket clock, looked up at the two of them and said, "I have a hunch. Let's start there!" she said and the three of them dashed towards the Clock Tower. On the way, they encountered nearly seven Death Eaters who were crawling up the walls like parasites. Isabella mutely hexes them all in one sweeping motion.

Harry and Hermione were exhausted from running around with the three of them and were glad to reach the Clock Tower with the rest of the Aurors. Isabella looked nervously at Sirius and James and said, "Now what? How do we find out where it is?"

"Are you even sure it is here, Izzy?" asked James.

"It should be James. It struck me as soon as you mentioned the Clock Tower. I mean, think about it. I have always liked experimenting with Time and clocks. Maybe, it runs in my blood?" she asked, matter-of-factly and rubbed her chin for a brief second.

She examined the giant clock in front of her and noticed a tiny circular placeholder right in the centre where the short and long hands of the clock met. She unconsciously reached into her pocket clock and examined the size of it before placing it on to the placeholder: it was a perfect fit! Her eyes widened as the large clock started spinning fast and wide. Magical green and white bands of light flew out of the clock into the vast expanse above. The clock spun so fast and so wide that James, Sirius, Isabella, Harry and Hermione were almost thrown backwards with the force of wind that hit them.

The clock was now getting so out of control, Harry feared it might jump right out of the tower. A gust of wind roared around them and all Harry could see was a whirlpool right in the centre of the clock that was slowly widening open into a large a circular doorway that was about 15 feet in diameter!

In that instant, Harry thought he heard a faint rumble from inside which seemed to make the entire tower reverberate...


	18. Mirror Tales

**Chapter 18: Mirror Tales**

* * *

James, Isabella and Sirius stood rooted to their spot, completely paralyzed with fear. Harry's heart was beating so fast, he thought he might have a heart-attack any second now, because, whatever was in there, sounded hungry and _inconceivably deadly_. He pulled his wand out and protectively pushed Hermione behind himand the two of them waited with bated breath. For a long time, nothing moved.

Suddenly, a much louder and more terrifying growl of a majestic beast ensued from behind the door making James, Isabella and Sirius jump backwards, their faces dripping with fear. Harry could hear Hermione's short breaths from his right and could tell that she was having a complete nervous breakdown while he could feel his own heart pounding and convulsing helplessly behind his ribs. For a split second, was glad he was merely in a memory and not _actually_ in this situation in real.

The castle grounds seemed eerily quiet now as a chilly wind blew over their faces making them shudder even more. Hermione held on to Harry's hand as James unconsciously led Sirius and Isabella farther away from the door and towards Harry and Hermione. And then, something very strange happened: the five of them were now standing right next to each other and James's shoulder almost scraped Harry's as he put out a trembling hand forward, like he was shielding Harry from danger. Harry's eyes widened as he looked over at James who didn't seem to notice his son next to him and continued to gape at the door in front, breathing heavily.

Just then, Harry's breath got knocked right out of his lungs as an ear-splitting roar of a lion thundered through the walls! Instinctively, James and Sirius drew their wands and waited for the beast; James, Harry could see, was shaking uncontrollably with fear.

A terrified moment passed as the five could sense movement behind the door. Soon, the scraping of massive claws against the stone floor could be heard which seemed to be move faster and, before long, they realized the beast was, in fact, flouncing at them at the speed of light! All hell broke loose as the giant wooden doors flew open and out sprang an absolutely fierce-looking, MASSIVE silver lion. The lion pranced head-on at the little group of people with a growl that could've killed a Hippogriff!

Rage, wrath and death hung deep in its eyes as it yanked its jaws open and jumped high into the air! A shrill scream shot up in the air and the last thing Harry saw were a set of mean, savage eyes and the teeth as long as Gryffindor's sword before he was engulfed with only whiteness everywhere…

oOo- **_a few moments later…_** -oOo

A cold sweat swept over Harry as he shakily groped around for his specs. It took him more than a minute to get his eyes to focus and see clearly. James and Sirius were quivering along the walls of the tower with their hands over their heads while a petrified-looking Hermione sat right behind Isabella who was standing there with her eyes tightly shut and hands on her ears.

Fear took over again as Harry shakily turned his head to see where the lion was. What he saw was chillingly confounding: there, in front of them, stood a magnificent silver lion, about eight feet tall with cold, menacing eyes set in a large head as big as Harry himself! The majestic beast stood there breathing fire, surveying the group with a low rumble that could potentially rip the air out of any who dared to confront the lion.

Isabella slowly looked up, mustering up every ounce of courage in her body and looked directly at the lion. Her face, which was initially ridden with fear, started to grow stronger and fiercer as her unwavering gaze slowly turned into a glare. She pulled her wand out and got ready to fight the beast. Hermione, who was right behind Isabella, scrambled up to her feet too.

"If there is anyone who can stand before me without begging for their life, they are either very brave, or else simply foolish!" came a deep, hoarse voice. Harry had to blink twice before confirming that it, indeed, was the lion that had said those words. Wisdom and grandeur oozed from the lion as he breathed down on the five. James and Sirius merely blinked back.

"The Time has come, I see…" said lion, fuming down at Isabella. "The daughter, and the true heir of Gryffindor, has finally arrived for, it was foretold that _only_ the true heir to the Throne would look death in the eye and take on the Woldorinian wrath _most_ unflinchingly…" the lion continued. "Greetings, Your Highness!" said the lion, bowing down courteously at Isabella.

"I… Er… Isabella Williams… Is my name," said Isabella, bowing back awkwardly at the large animal. "These are my friends, James and Sirius… They are here to help me…"

"Welcome, Isabella Williams, daughter of the High Queen, Irvette Gryffindor… I am Amadeus, and I am the spirit and soul of the great King, His Highness, Godric Gryffindor. I am the assigned guardian and care-taker of all of Woldorinian subjects, descendants and lieges as well as sons, daughters and students of Gryffindor. Tell me, Isabella, what brings you to the Chamber of Gryffindor?" he breathed menacingly.

Isabella shiftily looked over at James and Sirius who nodded their heads at her as if asking her to go on.

"I er… Amadeus...?" said Isabella, breathing heavily, a look of anxiety plastered on her face. "I don't know if you are aware, but the school is being attacked!" she squeaked. "A Dark Lord has risen and is plundering the school in search of the four founders' heirloom and we are here to protect it. We came in search of the Chamber of Gryffindor in order to safeguard whatever it is the Death Eaters are after! This is very important! It cannot, _under any circumstances,_ fall into their hands! We don't even know _what_ they plan to do with it! Is there an heirloom that belonged to Godric Gyffindor? Are you safeguarding it…?" she asked anxiously, and, upon looking at the fury that hung about Amadeus' eyes she stuttered back an uncertain, "…sir?"

The lion growled loudly at the sky before turning back to Isabella. "Things seemed a lot better in the _other_ world… Not so much Darkness in there than there is over here..." he mumbled more to himself than to Isabella. "The heir hasn't arrived yet and the Time still isn't right…" the lion continued on, sounding thoughtful.

Isabella turned towards Sirius and James with a confused look. Sirius merely shrugged and irritatedly pointed at Amadeus as if asking her to turn her focus back at the lion.

"Er… Amadeus, I don't understand... I _am_ the heir and it was I that opened the Chamber! Isn't it true that only a true heir would be able to do that…?" she asked, uncertainly.

The lion still didn't look up and continued to stare at the floor looking very preoccupied.

"And what other world are you talking about?" she continued on with a hint of urgency and irritation in her voice. "Less Darkness there? I don't understand… Sir, we don't have too much time! The Death Eaters might get here any minute! Please help us find the heirloom of Gryffindor…"

Amadeus looked up and his piercing eyes met Isabella's who immediately went pale. The lion started to prance around the vast balcony and said, "The sword of Gryffindor is the only heirloom that is known to all and that piece of silver is neither impregnable nor attainable by anyone for, it is enchanted to present itself to the descendants of Woldorin only when in grave danger or when they need it the most. There is, however, one other piece of bequest that very few are aware of. And that treasure, I am afraid, is not under my care anymore, Isabella. It is in the hands of another, much ahead of your time," he said stopping in his tracks and looking up.

Isabella, James and Sirius looked confused.

"Ah… _Ahead..._ of our time? What is that supposed to mean, Amadeus?" asked Isabella.

The lion smiled. "Time can be a wonderful thing, my dear. Wizards and witches of our age, who have only known a life of spells and wizardry, do not understand the nuances and the ways in which Time can be handled. What would you say if I told you that YOU are, in fact, in someone else's past and the things that are taking place in the _future_ right _this_ second is, in a way, bound to change YOUR future?"

James's eyes widened as he looked over at Sirius who continued to gape at Amadeus. Isabella simply stood rooted to her spot not understanding a single word of what Amadeus was saying.

"Isabella, Time is one thing, while _Destiny_ is another. Some people travel back in time to alter the course of history while others, whom you may not be aware of at the present, _are sent back in time_ because that is what _destiny_ had planned for them. That is their _true purpose_ in life, Isabella. And, when destiny's cards are played, these kinds of _bends_ in reality are possible. Right now, YOU are the _past_ of a future world that looks a lot different and, the heirloom of Gryffindor is safe and secure, in the hands of another _in your future_. Therefore, you need not worry about the Death Eaters finding the treasure in the present scenario."

Isabella's eyebrows arched higher. "WHAT?! We are the PAST? Wh… That doesn't make any sense at all! We couldn't _possibly_ be the past to someone else's future? I mean, of course, we surely _would_ have a future and all but, how is it possible that something in the _future_ has already occurred while WE are still around?! And how could that _possibly_ influence or alter our lives _now_?!" she said, with a look of absolute incredulity in her eyes.

"Such is your life, Isabella. Sadly, such is your life in _both_ worlds."

" _Both_ worlds?" she said, her confusion mounting by the second.

"Come. I will show you," said Amadeus and led the group inside the chamber. Harry and Hermione silently followed them inside too.

Harry and Hermione stepped into the room after James, Sirius, Isabella and Amadeus, and found themselves in a high-ceilinged room that was, quite surprisingly, relatively empty. And then Harry saw it: on the wall opposite to Harry, was a massive circular door that was gold in colour and, on it was emblazoned the carving of a fierce lion, the same as on the Hogwarts emblem.

Amadeus sent a deathly roar that seemed to make the whole room rumble. The five of them immediately shut their ears as the sound waves of the roar threatened pop their eyes out. The roar from the lion seemed to disintegrate the door slowly as the sections of the golden door slipped away until a wide circular hole emerged on the wall. What Harry's eyes met rendered him speechless. A hall as big as the Great Hall itself stood before them, and right at the end of the hall stood a magnificent red throne built entirely of gold. The throne stood on a pedestal while the rest of royal furniture neatly lined the colossal circular room. Several caskets of gold and precious gems stood on high stands on varying heights and on one of them, Harry noticed, stood the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Following their gaze on the sword, Amadeus said, "As the guardian and care-taker of Gryffindor's legacy, it is one of my responsibilities to watch over the castle and, every time a Gryffindor is in danger, I send the sword out. Godric always honoured valour and courage and thought of it as giving them a final fighting chance at survival," said Amadeus, with a slight smile. "In response to answer your question about multiple scenarios in different worlds, however, the answer lies in there…" he said pointing to a large mirror on to Harry's right that almost as scraped the ceiling of the room.

"A mirror?" asked Isabella.

"No, my dear. The _reflection_ ," said Amadeus. "What you see in the mirror, is not just your reflection, as is universally believed, Isabella. You are, in fact, staring into the depths of another _world_ ; another universe with a plot and history of its own. A multitude of possibilities exist within our own world, Isabella, and those possibilities are reflected back to you in several thousand ways," said Amadeus.

Harry turned to look at Hermione with a look of utter confusion. She reflected the same back at him before turning towards Amadeus.

"Isabella, when we look at a mirror, we see our _current_ world being exactly reflected back to us: everything that is happening around us, the voices, the movement, the people—everything. This drives us to the belief that we are seeing our own life being resonated back at us _as it is._ It is not. What we do _not_ see in the mirror is what's _different_ about the reflection. What plays on _other_ side of the mirror is something you may have never imagined; an alternate universe where things may be a lot better. What goes down in the history of time on _this_ side of the mirror may NOT be the same as what happened on _that_ side of the mirror! In fact what if you are, Isabella, stuck on the _wrong_ side of the reflection? What if, your destiny and reality is ACTUALLY on that side of the mirror which is a lot less messier, a lot less tragic than it is here? What if, you are, in fact the reflection to the _actual_ Isabella that is staring back at you over there?"

"What….?" started Sirius, with a look of absolute bewilderment on his face. Everyone turned to look at him. "So… We… Are in someone else's past and we are… a mere reflection? Is this not the right side of the world to… to… _be_ in?" he said, looking thoroughly confused.

"No side of the universe is right or wrong, Sirius," said the lion. "This is, however, a far darker side than the one that is staring back at you."

"So wait, let me get this straight," interjected James. "So if we are the reflection to the ACTUAL reality, we still _are_ having this conversation which means, _they,_ " he said, pointing at the mirror where all five of them stood, "are having this conversation too! So, wouldn't they believe that _they_ , in fact, _are on the wrong side as well_?"

The lion slowly turned towards the mirror and looked straight into the eyes of the five. "They do believe that at the moment, yes," he breathed. "Which is why, it is not wise to transcend and move into the parallel the universe right this second. Destiny would correct the course of history as per the Higher Plan when, the unborn Warrior and the destined Vanquisher of the Dark Lord, would return to the past and re-write History once more!"

Harry felt goosebumps on the back of his neck as he realized what was happening. Hermione turned to look at him with a look of utter shock and astonishment. Just then, Harry could see golden streaks of light appear on Hermione's face and body. He looked down and saw the same thing happening to him as well. They were starting to disappear! She read his mind and opened her mouth to say something, when loud footsteps were heard right outside the door and all five of them swung their heads around in the direction of the sound, a wave of fear engulfing them once more!


	19. Sounding The Battle Cry

**Sorry about the delay... Festive season here, so been kinda busy. But, here it is... Please be patient with this chapter. Couldn't exclude any part of it, as every aspect of it will prove important for the later chapters. Next one coming up soon, which I am sure will be more gripping than this.**

 **P.S. Please do send in reviews :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: First Battle**

* * *

"WHAT. Was that?!" exclaimed Harry, looking slightly nauseous. He rubbed his forehead in frustration as Hermione walked around the room with her hands on her hips, looking thoughtful.

"Beats me," she said, pensively. "That is SO MUCH information all at once!" she said, sounding frustrated. "One thing's clear though," she said, tapping her forehead with her finger. "The Death Eaters have managed to get their hands on Slytherin's locket and Ravenclaw's diadem. I'm sure if we stuck on for a little while longer, we would've seen Hufflepuff's cup being captured too. I'm sure Frank wouldn't be able to hold them off for too long," she said. Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yes and Remus and his group haven't returned as yet, and, WHERE in the _world_ is Dumbledore?!" asked Harry, with a look disbelief in his face. " _How_ could such a thing even HAPPEN when _he's_ around, eh?"

"Exactly what I thought too, Harry! JUST when everyone at Hogwarts needed him the most, he's NOWHERE around! That is just so uncharacteristic of him!" she said, utterly confused. "Nothing seems right, Harry, Amadeus IS right! This world that we are in right now IS, in fact, messed up! SO _many_ things could've happened a lot differently, Harry, starting with Dumbledore's presence in the castle when this attack took place! God, do you realize, even a _slight_ foresight from even ONE of us could've changed our fate and destiny forever?!" she yelled, looking perplexed at Harry.

Hermione flopped down exhaustedly into a chair next to her. She slowly looked up at him and said the oddest thing ever: "You know what, Harry? I never thought there would come a day when I'd say that qualities such as courage, nobility and being faithful are sometimes _BAD_!"

"What do you mean, Hermione? What are you talking about?" asked Harry.

"Harry, don't you see?!" she said. "The biggest and most glaring mistake of all was to overlook Peter's odd behaviour! Had Sirius and James _not_ turned a blind eye to his disappearances back when they were in school itself, _none_ of this would've even happened in the first place! They were just _too_ trusting, Harry!

"Look back at our own life... Like in our fourth year when you and Cedric were at the centre of the maze; your sense of nobility didn't allow you to claim that cup alone... Ever considered this possibility where, Cedric's life could've been spared that day, had you Simply. Acted. _Selfishly_!" she said, looking deeply into Harry's eyes.

Harry shook his head and looked disbelievingly at Hermione. Paralyzed with shock, he gaped at her, as if he couldn't believe she had actually said that! Like he didn't _know_ that already?! Like he didn't already feel guilty enough to _rip_ his eyes right of their sockets?! Like he wasn't already being haunted by all the screams and the pain people have suffered JUST to keep him alive?! Honestly, if there's _one_ person who could gun you down and mince you to pieces for every time you slipped just a bit, that person would definitely have to be Hermione.

And although her words pierced through his heart, he had to admit: she was right in every _blasting_ sense of the word! He looked guiltier than ever as the weight of her words slowly sunk into his brain. He stared back at her acknowledging fully that she was, indeed, right.

"If only, Harry..." she continued _(She clearly doesn't know when to stop, does she?!)._ "Life could've been a lot different IF ONLY we opened our eyes a little more and not acted blindly..." she said. "You remember that shard of mirror that Sirius gave you in our fifth year?! Have you ever thought of how different YOUR life could've been now had you simply used _that_ instead of Umbridge's fireplace to talk to Sirius?! We would _never_ have gone to the Department of Mysteries and Sirius would never have followed us to the Ministry..."

"Hermione, PLEASE stop!" he said, his eyes glazing with shock and guilt. He shiftily pranced up and down the floor looking very distracted. "I know! _I KNOW!_ " he bellowed, shoving his face into his hands.

Hermione was astonished at Harry's reaction. She immediately felt guilty for having said that. "Harry, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to..." said Hermione, apologetically but was cut short by Harry.

"NO, Hermione, I _know_!" he said, nodding helplessly at her. "I _was_ an IDIOT of _epic_ proportions when we were young and my stupidity STILL haunts me TO THIS DAY, I _know_! WHY ELSE, do you think I am harping on about with this STUPID diary that was written DECADES ago? Huh?" he said, trembling slightly. "It's because, of ALL the deaths that we have suffered, Sirius's was the MOST unfortunate and the most _pointless_ of it all and, even if I discount the others', _HIS_ death was _entirely_ MY FAULT!" he said, glaring out of the window. "I _brought_ him to the Department of Mysteries, Hermione," he said, nodding disbelievingly at her, as sorrow gripped his heart. "I killed my own godfather!" he said, shakily holding on to the window for support.

Hermione stood there staring helplessly at him. A very disturbed silence followed his words. Both Harry and Hermione knew what a great loss Sirius was to the family. Neither spoke for a long time and let the noise of leaves rustling in the air outside take over the silence that had crept inside the room.

"Harry," she finally said. Very slowly, she walked over to him, put her hand on his shoulder and turned him around to face her. "Think of it this way..." she said. "It's because of this guilt that you're even trying so hard to find out what Sirius is trying to tell you years and years later, is it not?"

Harry continued to look down at his shoes, quite unable to shake the guilt off, let alone face her.

"Like Dumbledore said, everything happens for a reason and we are here to find out what that is... I know what you're going through, Harry, trust me, and I know what it feels like to live a life of guilt, but it's not your fault, _not even a bit_! So please, don't beat yourself up too much about it?" she said, looking expectantly at his face. He raised his head slowly and nodded still looking out the window.

He took in a deep breath before adding, "Alright, yeah, you're right," he lied. He had still not recovered. This feeling of guilt was his biggest weakness ever and he could never, ever, feel any differently. "I'm sorry too about that outburst. It's just... years of pent up frustration, I guess," he said. "I'm good now, though, thanks to you," he lied again, and broke into a forced smile. He shook his head once before making his mind up to get to the _goddamn_ bottom of this giant riddle! "Let's get cracking, then, shall we?" he said, avoiding all eye contact with her ( _Hermione was like an X-Ray machine!_ ). Hermione, too, nodded her head enthusiastically. "Okay, so where do we begin? What should we focus on now, Hermione?"

"Well, we obviously need to wait until you are born, Harry. As Amadeus said, the time still isn't right. The past cannot be changed until the ' _Future',_ " she said, pointing at Harry, "is born to save the day!" she said, jokingly. Harry and Hermione laughed at the thought before she added, "So yes, we still need to look for clues in the events that happened from now till your birth," she said, smiling gleefully at Harry. Harry opened the diary once more and in went the two of them went.

oOo— **_Sirius's Memory_** —oOo

James, Sirius and Isabella swung their heads around as they heard loud footsteps coming their way and saw three hooded figures up ahead in the balcony of the clock tower running towards them. The three instinctively drew their out wands and started towards the Death Eaters with a determined look on their faces when, all of sudden, Amadeus let out a stomach-churning roar, making them all stop in their tracks! Without warning, the lion leaped ahead of them in the space between the three hooded figures and James, Isabella and Sirius and skidded to a halt to face them with a threatening growl, much to their bafflement.

"Leave them to me," he breathed out slowly and menacingly. "The three of you can get back into the castle from the door at the very end of the room. Go! NOW!" he roared, and the three of them jumped at his order.

Sirius merely shrugged at James and Isabella and the three of them made a dash for it to the very end of the room. They found a red door right behind the throne and yanked it open to find a spiral staircase leading them back into the castle. The three of them hurriedly trudged down the stairs, when, all of a sudden, all three of their pocket clocks started to buzz and whirr hysterically. The lights flashed from the clocks everywhere and the noise it made resounded through the walls, making them flinch. The clock's hands were pointing towards the grounds. The three of them exchanged quizzical looks before dashing down the corridor towards the grounds.

They did not encounter any Death Eaters on the way, which was strangely bewildering. Very few stray students were found running about the corridors too. Where _was_ everybody? However, their question was answered very shortly: as they approached the Entrance Hall stairway, they saw an ominous silence wash over the castle and Hogwarts had turned into a battleground between the Death Eaters and Order members.

" _Oh MY GOD, I think it's_ You-Know-Who _out there!_ " breathed Isabella with a look of complete panic washing over her face. Their clocks continued to whine and echo through the walls. " _What do we do, what do we do,_ what _do we DO?!_ " she hissed more loudly, clutching James's hand, who signalled her to shut up. The castle ground was now divided into two with one half donning school robes and night-clothes, while the other half donned all black, giving it a murky, eerie look. Right in front of the Death Eaters, stood the Lord of Death himself, as if, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Let's go, you two," said James, staring down at the ground through the window, not taking his eyes off of Voldemort for one second. "If he wants a fight, we give him a fight. Come on!"

James, Sirius and Isabella ran out the door and wound their way through a bunch of students to stand right in front of the crowd next to Frank, Remus, Alice, Lily, Sturgis and Edgar. None of them were in any mood to acknowledge their arrival and simply stared back into the black murk ahead of them. All the Professors, along with Hagrid, stood a little ahead of the students, wands at the ready, and sporting a look of grave purpose. McGonagall was at the forefront and glared directly at the sea of black hoods standing in front of her about 50 feet away. Harry noticed every House Tower was ablaze and the school looked like it was crumbling to the ground.

Snape, Bellatrix and Malfoy were standing right behind Voldemort, whose hands were the colour of snow against the deathly black cloak he wore. Many of the Death Eaters growled and sneered maliciously, waiting for orders from their Master. Harry's hand instinctively went to his scar and half expected it to hurt as he held on to Hermione's hand that was cold and shaking slightly with dread.

"Mate, all well?" whispered James to Remus.

"All's perfect, Prongs," said Remus, he muttered back. Just then, a cold, hard voice pierced through the fiery grounds of Hogwarts like a dagger.

"I have arrived..." boomed Voldemort, sending out icy waves across the grounds. "I have RISEN! And I am your Master! _Who dare resist me...?_ " he hissed. Harry noticed several students back up a little. Slowly, he moved forward and removed the hood off his head. As white as ice, as tall as a horse and as mean as a snake, Voldemort looked nothing close to human in this form. His bloodshot eyes were mere slits and his face, though younger, was a lot fiercer now than what he looked like during Harry's time. His mere presence seemed to knock the warmth out of the air and fear gripped everyone's heart, including the Death Eaters.

"I am here to claim my prize!" Voldemort continued. "As the greatest wizard of all time and as your Master, I am here to collect THAT which rightfully belongs to ME! And I hope to have your cooperation..." he said, pointing at the students. "I am sure no one wishes to die a painful death now..." he hissed, as his followers laughed loudly.

"Keep AWAY from the school, Tom!" shrieked McGonagall, making everyone jump out of their skin. "This is MY school! I am in-charge at the moment and NO ONE will submit to you, ever!" she screamed, looking ready to pounce on her enemy.

"Ah... Dumbledore has fled, I see..." he leered, menacingly. "Makes my work a lot easier then..." came a hiss from the slit that was Voldemort's mouth. "Hand me over the Gryffindor heirloom, and no one shall be harmed. No need for heroics now, you do NOT want to face my wrath!" he bellowed. Nagini wound around his leg and hissed loudly as if in agreement.

"Yeah, go to HELL, baldy!" yelled Frank, out of nowhere, making Sirius nudge him hard on his ribs. Frank's eyes blazed with fire as he spat on the ground in disgust.

 _"What the hell is the MATTER with you?!"_ hissed Sirius, but Frank merely smiled at him, as if he was thoroughly looking forward to his backside getting kicked by the Lord of Death himself.

"And a FOOLISH _BOY_ is the cause for war now, I see..." thundered Voldemort, and closed his eyes before hissing, "So be it."

Before anyone knew what was going to happen next, before could even _move_ a muscle, a roar like Harry had never heard before clamoured against the crumbling walls of Hogwarts when Voldemort raised his wand and slashed the ground with a cursed fire, thus, marking the start of war!

The cursed fire spread at the speed of light, licking up at every blade of grass and rock, which crumbled to soot at its mere touch.

 _"Avada-Kedavra!"_ came a shriek from behind Voldemort, and McGonagall quickly sent a shrill, _"Relashioooo!"_ that walloped with Bellatrix's killing curse and all hell broke loose!

Students and the Death Eaters roared before dashing towards each other and clashed against one another in a fierce battle. Curses flew everywhere, hexes bounded off Hagrid's massive body, students bellowing, Death Eaters slurring—the War started all over again!

There was so much confusion and so much chaos everywhere that Harry and Hermione got caught between a sea of students and Death Eaters running through them. For a minute, it literally did not feel like someone's memory; it was real and it was cruel so much so that Harry actually felt all the angst that might have felt had he actually been part of the warzone back in the day!

Harry and Hermione were lost. They could find Sirius or James or _any_ of them from their gang and merely ran about aimlessly trying to locate them.

And then he spotted them: Sirius and James were standing back-to-back and tackled four Death Eaters all at once and suddenly, the hood flew off one of their heads and there stood Regulus.

"Regulus! Oh thank GOD, you're all right!" yelled Sirius, as he sent Mulciber flying through the sky. Regulus hit his brother with a hex which was deflected neatly by Sirius and made him go, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS, Regulus? STOP IT!"

"It's for my MASTER! YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!" he bellowed as the two brothers battled on. "He means well, Sirius! He is our PROTECTOR! The Sacred Twenty Eight! He protects the Sacred TWENTY EIGHT!" he said, yelled and cursed Remus who was standing to his right, making his face explode with weed.

"NO HE IS NOT, you SHIT-HEAD! He is manipulating all of you! Listen to me!" he said, grabbing Regulus by his collar. "He won't care for you or ANY of us at the end of the day. All he ever cares about is HIS POWER!"

"Oh what do you know?! You've never cared for ANYONE up until now, INCLUDING your own brother!" Regulus spat out. "But I'm not like that Sirius, I'm NOTHING like you! In contrast, i _actually_ do care for! I am doing this for both you _and_ me! For my Master, for my Family's honour and for YOU!" he said, and darted back into the bloody war that ensued behind him.


	20. The Lie That Saved The War

**Sorry, sorry, sorry! Apologies, I know it's been too long since the last update. It's just that my new iPhone 6S Plus has been giving me trouble and I just want to DIE! :( Hope it gets fixed... Anyway, here's the update and... As always, please do review. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: The Lie That Saved The War**

* * *

Harry and Hermione stood in the middle of the battleground and looked on helplessly at the brutal battle that ensued around them. Sheer madness supervened all around. Most of the castle was aflame, eerie looking Griffins circled the skies, teachers and students yelled instructions at each other, black-hooded witches and wizards wreaked havoc everywhere, and the Lord of Death himself surveyed the party with a mirthless smile plastered across his face.

Dishevelled-looking teachers of the school were creating a protective globe of a shield against the Death Eaters around the school's lake and beckoned to students to get inside the igloo while McGonagall, along with the young Order members, continued to fight Death Eaters.

"Professor! I have an idea!" heaved Lily, who was standing next to McGonagall, tackling a young Avery and Crabbe. Before she finished her sentence, she lashed out at them with a _Petrificus Totalus_ curse that sent them falling thud to the ground. "James, Sirius and Isabella already know where the heirloom of Gryffindor is!" she cried, as she pounded on an attacker behind Isabella who had stopped duelling and started listening in on Lily. "We need to stop this madness right away, Professor!"

"Speak FASTER, Evans!" yelled McGonagall. "What did you have in mind?" she said, as she _Oppugno'd_ a rock at Carrow and four other Death Eaters who were advancing upon the Order members.

"Well, what if we simply _TELL_ You-Know-Who and everyone about the heirloom, right here?! Tell him that we actually _DO_ have it and end this thing?!" she bellowed, after sending out a _Mufliato_ spell around them.

Everyone suddenly stopped whatever is was that they were doing and turned around to look at Lily with awed expressions brimming on their faces. Tragedy struck instantly though. In that instant that everyone took their eyes off of their enemies, a malicious-looking Bellatrix had snuck up behind Benjy and, before anyone could even blink, sent an extremely near-shot, blasting curse that exploded right in front of everyone's eyes and a second later, the Order members' faces were splattered by blood and tissue. The place where Benjy had stood a second ago was now empty.

A shrill laughter resounded across the grounds that made even Harry's stomach jolt uncomfortably. Hermione held on to Harry's hand as she looked upon the horror-struck faces of the Order members.

"Such a weakling-ling-ling-ling…" sang Bellatrix as several Death Eaters cackled behind her. "Poor son-of-troll didn't see _that_ one coming…" she jeered, inviting more laughter all around.

"Remus, NOW!" screamed Frank, who threw his copy of Isabella's pocket-clock at him and smashed hexes and jinxes at Bellatrix, neatly succeeding at distracting her. Remus caught the clock and seemed to understand Frank's plan because, he suddenly turned around and started to make a dash for it towards the Death Eaters. He ducked and strutted past flying curses and spells and ran through the swarm of black cloaks drawing as much attention to him as possible.

"Remus, HERE!" came a voice from above. Harry and Hermione looked up to see Sturgis flying on a broom right above Remus. Remus pressed the knob on the side of the clock before throwing it high up in the air. The clock immediately started to shrill and whine and flash blinding lights everywhere making heads turn. Sturgis caught it neatly and zoomed deep into the night sky. Even after soaring 50 feet into the night sky, the flashes of the clock could be seen from the grounds below.

Back in the ground, a sudden hue and cry ensued. Voldemort, who was sporting a mirthless grin as students were being dragged back into the castle as hostages, himself looked up with a look of cold curiosity.

"You want it?!" bellowed Sturgis from above. "Come and GET IT!" he said and zoomed off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

"You FOOLS!" came the cold voice of Voldemort. "Get me that CLOCK!" he bellowed.

Sirius, Remus, James, Lily and Isabella were soon flying on their own brooms too now and soared towards the flashing lights. Death Eaters followed them closely from behind.

"Sturgis, HERE!" bellowed James, who had dipped several feet under Sturgis. Sturgis neatly threw the clock at James, who zoomed away from the Forbidden Forest.

He dangled the clock precariously in his hand as if making sure everyone could see it from down below. He was zooming towards Voldemort at top speed. Voldemort stood there grinning; a look of death hung in his eyes as he waited for James to come flying head-on towards him. As James drew closer, Voldemort grinned more and did a sweeping motion with his wand that froze James and his broom in mid-air. He merely raised his hand and the clock slid out of James' confounded hand and slithered neatly upon Voldemort's long finger. He surveyed the artefact with an amused look on his face and gently pressed the knob to make the whining stop.

"Exquisite…" he said, slowly, admiring the clock in his hand. "Most exquisite piece of magic…" he hummed. The gold shone on his face as his eyes widened with glee. He pointed his wand at James and released the stun spell off of him. James came crashing down after being suspended twenty feet in the air. He howled in pain as he fell feet first on to the ground. "Tell me, silly boy…" continued Voldemort. "Why are you trying to keep this from me…?" he hissed at James's face.

"Gryffin… Gryffindor's…" he huffed, clutching his broken leg in pain. "It's his heirloom…!" he finally managed to get out.

"Is it now…?" sneered Voldemort. He chuckled out loud making the Death Eaters go berserk with mirth too before hissing, "Where, though, is the sword?"

James shook his head. "I don't know…"

"Wrong answer…" boomed Voldemort before yelling, " _Crucio!_ "

James immediately started to writhe in pain. He jumped and thudded against the stone steps, screaming on top of his voice. His screams echoed through the grounds. Harry's eyes started to water as his dad screamed and screamed until he could scream no more. After what seemed like ten years, Voldemort drew his wand away and James lay on the stone steps almost lifeless.

"Now, if you don't want to go through the pain _again,_ tell me the truth!" said Voldemort through gritted teeth. "TELL ME!" he bellowed, throwing James against the stone wall. Several muffled intakes of breaths could be heard from the students from far behind.

"It… I… Is Gryffindor's stolen heirloom… No one knows of it…" James said. "We stole… Stole it in our third year… Didn't want filthy _Slytherins_ to lay hands on it!" he spat, grinning broadly, despite the pain he was in. Several Death Eaters jeered and sent more hexes at James and left him whirling and howling in pain once more.

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Voldemort. " _Much_ work awaits us. Our work is DONE here…" he said, looking around at the bloodbath outside the school. "Dumbledore will be here any minute…" he said, looking toward the skies. "Goodbye, Hogwarts… Until next time…?" he hissed, and in one sweeping motion was gone. All the Death Eaters started disappearing one after another and before long, all the murk had disappeared once more…

oOo— ** _2 hours later…_** —oOo

A frazzled-looking Dumbledore sat behind his desk, deep in thought. All the older Order members, along with Mr and Mrs Weasley and her brothers sat around in chairs too, many nursing nasty wounds and curses that they had endured in the Gringotts Bank less than two hours ago. Several official-looking Ministry officials lined the walls too. The young Order members, along with the professors and Hagrid, looked on as Dumbledore continued to stare at the official parchment that lay before him.

"Hogwarts needs to be evacuated immediately," announced Dumbledore, not once looking up. "Voldemort is going to find out soon enough about the fake heirloom and his rage will, by all means, be unfathomable. It will expose the students to a much greater risk, and I am personally NOT willing to take the chance. I must say, though, the cleverly orchestrated little plan by the young Order members _has_ saved the school from a far greater misfortune," he said, looking directly at Lily.

Lily raised her hand, like she wanted to ask Dumbledore something. Dumbledore nodded at her, as if asking her to go on.

"Professor, how did you not know the school was being attacked while you were fighting off the attack at the Gringotts Bank? Why wasn't any teacher able to send you a patronous about it, Professor?" she asked, almost accusatorily.

Dumbledore sighed, his face ridden with guilt and self-reproach. "You see, Lily, I was under the impression that I was securing the school from the threat of being attacked by You-Know-Who and his men by casting a spell around the school that prevented any form of communication from inside and outside the premises. The Floo network was blocked and all the secret passageways were manned and guarded. Before leaving, the Professors of Hogwarts were ordered to guard the school. I did not realize the attack on the bank was a mere distraction. I claim full responsibility for the loss of lives today, and that is exactly why, the decision to shut the school down indefinitely has been reached," he concluded.

Right then, something very strange happened. The Sorting Hat that was resting on the Headmaster's table started to glow brightly. After a brief few moments, the glow died and the Hat looked as innocent as it had just a couple of seconds ago. Dumbledore was eyeing it curiously, as did the rest of the room. Slowly, he reached out for the Hat, which now seemed heavier than a normal hat would be. He put his hand inside and swiftly pulled out a most ethereal-looking sliver sword set with rubies at the handle and everyone gasped.

"The sword of Gryffindor…" murmured Dumbledore almost to himself. "My, what a surprise! Why are we being presented with the sword of Gryffindor just about now?!" he wondered out loud.

"Mr. Dumbledore, sir," suddenly came a voice from _under_ Dumbledore's table. Everyone looked around to realize it was a tiny, yet fierce-looking goblin who had spoken those words.

"Yes, Glodaat?" said Dumbledore.

"May I please take a look at the sword? Something does not seem right about it," said Glodaat.

Dumbledore nodded and handed over the sword to the goblin. As soon as the sword touched his hand, a sense of pride and covetousness washed over his evil face. He keenly examined the sword and then, all of a sudden, his eyes flew open. The fingers that held the sword started to tremble. The expression on Glodaat's face was unreadable: it was a mixture of shock, surprise, pride and wrath.

"What's the matter, Glodaat?" asked Dumbledore, quite curiously.

"The sword… The sword! It's properties has been altered!" cried Glodaat, his eyes boring into the silver that shone back on his face. "It has been tampered with! But, it's more powerful now! Almost evil!" he cried even louder. "How did this happen?! Who was responsible for this?!" he yelled at Dumbledore.

"Glodaat, I do not understand what you are talking about. The sword hasn't left the tower in more than a hundred and fifty years!" said, Dumbledore.

"Really, now?" spat Glodaat. "How then, has the sword been impregnated… with _Basilisk venom_?!"


	21. Hagrid and The Sword

**iPhone's all right, so I am celebrating it by posting this chapter a lot earlier on in the week! :D Two more chaps will be rolled out before Monday. :) Until then, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Hagrid and The Sword**

* * *

A heavy mixture of confusion, bafflement and rage hung in the air; confusion coming from the students, bafflement from Dumbledore, and absolute _seething_ rage from the goblins, who were now taking turns at examining the sword. No one knew what to say to make any sense of anything that had been said mere minutes ago. The conversation that had transpired between the goblin and the wizard seemed to have robbed at least ten years of age from their faces.

James and Sirius looked like they had hit the jackpot in terms of the adventure they were seeking in life. Because, while the Headmaster pondered over the most practical explanation there was to it, James and Sirius, along with their equally naïve friends seemed to be considering all of the most impractical ways to tackle the situation at hand _(one solution,_ obviously _, was to move to Vietnam and never return!)_. The silence lasted an eternity before it was finally broken by Dumbledore himself.

" _Ba…_ _Basilisk venom_?" stuttered Dumbledore, looking shocked. "Why, that can't be! It's not… quite _possible…!_ " let out Dumbledore, looking stunned. "Hagrid…" he suddenly said, looking up at the half-giant who stood right at the back of the room. Hagrid looked up, stunned at being spoken to directly by the headmaster. He began to fidget with his overcoat in nervousness.

Harry noticed several people in the room, including Mrs Weasley, either scrunch up their noses or shake their heads in complete condemnation as Hagrid slowly moved his massive legs forward towards Dumbledore's table. _What could the Headmaster POSSIBLY have to discuss with the rogue half-giant?_ seemed to be the only thought that ran through everyone's minds. It looked like the allegation that was placed on him more than a decade ago with regards to the opening of the Chamber of Secrets continues to affect him to this day.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, sir," mumbled Hagrid hardly looking up at the kind eyes that was surveying him through a pair of half-moon glasses.

"Hagrid, I am afraid, I am going to need your expert opinion on something," Dumbledore said, now looking at the crowd behind Hagrid. Several people moved impatiently in their chairs, while still others muttered under their breaths. It was apparent that very few in the room actually believed that Hagrid was innocent.

"Anythin' ye need, sir," said Hagrid, hardly daring to look up as more murmurs burst through the room.

"Hagrid, Glodaat here, says that this sword has been impregnated… with _Basilisk venom_. Now, would you know something about that…?"

Hagrid shot up a baffled look. He shook his mangy head fervently and flailed his dustbin-lid sized hands in an attempt to prove his innocence.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, sir!" he breathed, begging to be believed. "I had _nuthin'_ ter do with it, sir! Nuthin' I say! I never lay me hands on dat sword! Please, sir, don't send me to Azkaban! I didn't do nuthin' with the sword, sir! I don't own a Basilisk, they're too dangerous… _even fer me_ , sir!" he said, as a waterfall of teardrops splashed on the carpet beneath him. Harry thought he could almost hear Hagrid's heart beating against his chest as he kept looking around at everyone in the room, trying to convince them.

In all his pleading, however, Hagrid had failed to notice Dumbledore putting his hand up, as if asking him calm down. "Hagrid…" said Dumbledore again, this time waiting for him to pull himself together. " _That_ was not what I was insinuating, dear boy!" he said. Hagrid turned around to face Dumbledore and his face relaxed immediately.

 _(Harry looked to his right and saw Hermione's face wet with tears. "What?!" said Hermione, half smiling, half crying and nudged Harry to stop teasing her. "I mean, would you look at him? He'd had to go through so much, is all…" she said, now fully smiling. Harry shook his head in mock disappointment, and turned back to the scene in front him, smiling broadly)._

"Yes, Pr'f'ssor, sir" said Hagrid, calming down a little bit.

"Hagrid, could you tell us exactly how long it would take for a young Basilisk snake to produce venom?" asked Dumbledore.

Quite intrigued by the question, Hagrid immediately seemed to relax a bit more and spoke more confidently this time. "A Basilisk, eh? Why, i' would take about 50 years fer a male Basilisk ter be fully able ter produce venom while it could a female anytime be'ween 30 ter 40 years, sir."

"Hmmm…" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtful. "Say, Hagrid, exactly how long has it been since the Chamber of Secrets was opened?" asked Dumbledore.

Hagrid looked disconcerted once more before replying, "1943, sir. So aboot thirty three years now, sir," he said, defensively.

"Professor Dumbledore, may I please know where this line of questioning is taking us all," interjected Molly Weasley, looking rather cross.

"Yeah, where are you going with this? We need answers!" yelled Glodaat, while the rest of the goblins nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore, however, looked very preoccupied, but a hint of a smile could be seen on his face. "I'm sorry Glodaat, but Order members _only_ from here on out _,_ " said Dumbledore with an air of finality. "We really appreciate all your help in Gringotts Bank, though, and we would always extend our help in case of any future attacks, but now, I must ask you to give us some privacy," he said, walking up to the door.

The group of goblins looked stunned at being asked to leave so rudely and started filing out of the room instantly. It was clear their ego was hurt to such a point that it was not even worth it to stay back and know what actually happened to the sword.

"Glodaat, the sword, please," said Dumbledore, stretching his hand out. The goblin looked at him with pure disdain before reluctantly handing over the sword back to Dumbledore. The Ministry officials followed the goblins too and the room was finally a lot emptier than it had been at the beginning of the council.

"Professor, what is going on?" asked Frank.

"If I knew how to explain it to you, I already would have, Frank," said Dumbledore. "I honestly do not know how or where to begin to make sense of this all. However, I can tell you one thing: _help_ is on its way, and this," said Dumbledore, pointing to the sword in his hand, "is the first of them all," he said, smiling contently.

More confusion spread across the room. Teachers and students alike looked at each other with completely blank faces.

"We don't quite understand, sir," said Remus. "Where's the 'help' coming from? And what do we need help for…?"

"Yes, Professor, everything is much too confusing!" said Isabella. "Back at the clock tower, we were given some extremely weird theories about different worlds and ours being the _darker_ one and something about a vanquisher of the Dark Lord being born and time travel and… Everything is much too confusing, Professor!"

"Yes, Isabella, Time, as Amadeus had said, can be very confusing for us as we do not regard it as a separate dimension. However, several _bends_ in time is possible if dealt with properly," said Dumbledore. "As for this sword, the reason I asked you about when a Basilisk would be fully mature enough to produce poison, Hagrid, was based on a hunch I have had for more than thirty years now."

Hagrid, and several other students, nodded.

"You see, Hagrid, the Chamber was opened more than thirty years ago and, whoever opened it, secreted within the walls of the Chamber, a beast of unthinkable power. This sword, has not _once_ left my office ever since the opening of the Chamber and _yet,_ the sword magicks itself back into the Sorting Hat like it is only just returning from _someplace else_ …" he said and paused for a minute. "I am more confident now that the monster in the Chamber is _not_ the Acramantula that you raised, Hagrid. It was a baby Basilisk snake…" he said inviting several raised eyebrows from the students. "Isabella, the sword of Gryffindor has returned to us from the _future_! Something, mere _minutes_ ago had taken place _in the future_ the same time we were having this council right here!"

Heavy intake of breaths could be heard from all around the room. Everyone's eyes widened, including the teachers'. This was getting more and more confusing for Harry and his head began to hurt trying to wrap his brain around what Dumbledore had said.

"Help is coming to us… From the future, Remus," said Dumbledore. "Help is on its way here to re-write the course of history. The sword has returned to _our_ present after being impregnated with Basilisk venom possibly because this could be our ticket to a better future," he said, smiling slightly.

"But, Professor…" said Sturgis. "Going by your theory, if the beast that is locked away in the Chamber of Secrets is, in fact, a Basilisk snake and it is here in this castle _right this second,_ it is then, still _NOT_ old enough to be venomous at all! And… My point is… Only if something had already happened in the _past,_ " he said, pointing to his present, "can it reflect back in the future," he said, pointing away, "right? So, _only if_ the sword had been impregnated with the venom NOW, can it continue on in the future in its currently altered state. How is it travelling BACK in time to reach _us_ in its currently altered state?!" he yelled the last few words out in total frustration.

Dumbledore smiled at the innocence of Sturgis. "Very good question, Sturgis. Yes, that is the widely believed theory and that is correct logically. However, magical pieces of relics, as powerful as the sword of Gryffindor, behave quite differently, I must say. Once altered, Sturgis, it is altered forever. And by that, I mean not just in the future going forward, but in _every other time-period_! That's the power of the curse of the Basilisk venom and that's the power of the sword itself since, it was able to withstand something as potent as the venom. Any other ordinary piece of object would've burst to pieces with the mere touch of the venom…" he said, surveying the wide eyes that stared back at him. "All being said and done, though, there is still the matter of the sword… It has been transported back in time for a reason and we must act wisely.

"That said, I think it is clear what the first Order duties would be from this point on. Isabella, Alice, Edgar and Frank, you all will be in charge of the student body in the castle. Please ensure everyone who has given up their life in today's battle is treated with the highest respects. In the meanwhile, Lily, Hagrid, James, Sirius, Remus and Sturgis, go find the rest of the relics that were stolen from the school today. I'd suggest we start with Severus and Regulus for the time being," he said, looking pointedly at Lily and Sirius. "Oh and… Do carry the Sorting Hat with you at all times," he said, handing it over to Sirius.

"The rest of the Order members," he continued on, looking over at the older chapter members, "we will focus on tracking down You-Know-Who. For now, though, I suggest all of you catch a well-deserved break," he said, lightly clapping his hands together. "I must say, all of you have done me proud today! The school will be forever indebted to the students of Hogwarts!" he said, with genuine admiration flooding his eyes.

oOo— ** _Back at The Burrow_** —oOo

"Okay, Harry, so one thing is clear," said Hermione, looking down at her notepad. "In 1977, Voldemort and his men have only just captured all the relics from Hogwarts. However, _we_ ," she said, pointing at Harry and herself, "have already destroyed the first Horcrux which is the diary in the Chamber of Secrets! That means, we are already one Horcrux down in 1977 and the sword of Gryffindor with the Basilisk venom is there with Sirius and James," she said, and suddenly looked thoughtful. "But how would they know they'd have to use it to destroy the other relics?"

"More importantly, Hermione," said Harry. "How are they going to find the location of the Horcruxes?" he said, rubbing his temple. "And… If what we're seeing are all stored in Sirius's memory, how come he never mentioned any of this to any of us?" he said, looking up. "I mean, he surely wouldn't have penned all this down had it _not_ happened, but _for all this to happen_ , all of what happened to US back _in 1992_ should have already taken place and… it… It looks like a time-loop to me, Hermione!" he exclaimed.

"It sure does!" said Hermione. "Harry, I have a thought," she said, all of a sudden. "Should we, um… Do you think you could look up some old records and find Angela Williams for me? I feel like paying her a visit. That is, _if_ she well… Is alive. Could you look her up for me?" she said, sounding hopeful.


	22. Regulus's Sacrifice

**Chapter 22: Regulus's Sacrifice**

* * *

-oOo- **_At The Burrow_** -oOo-

"So lemme-ge'-thiff-fraight," mumbled Ron, with his mouthful. Mrs Weasley playfully knocked him on his head from the back as if asking him to behave at the breakfast table. "You're saying, that after Harry destroyed the diary in our second year, the sword travelled _back_ in time and reached the _Marauders_?!" he exclaimed, and his face was so twisted with bafflement, it almost looked comical to Harry.

"For the gazillionth time, YES, Ronald Weasley!" howled Harry, making Ginny and Hermione chuckle. "I think all that food is putting a strain on your brain, 'cause you are extra slow this morning!" he said teasingly while shoving his mouth with cauldron cakes too.

"I must say, your lives are just awesome!" exclaimed James from next to Harry making everyone turn to look at him. "I mean, look at you guys! Slaying 50 feet-long snakes, larger-than-life chess boards, a Dark Wizard, Triwizard Tournaments, the _Yule Ball_?!" he yelled, looking wide-eyed at the elders. "And now, _years_ later, _another_ adventure! How cool IS your life?" he said, gawking at his mother who looked slightly cross at James's remark.

"First of all, James, it wasn't as _'cool'_ as it may sound!" Ginny said, sternly. "It was extremely dangerous, people _died_ during our times, so don't you dare go looking for trouble now, young man!" she said, glaring at her son. "And don't call us 'guys'!" she said, but James wasn't paying any attention to her and was already busy plotting some adventure with Fred.

"Oi!" said Harry, nudging his son. "Listen to your mother, she's right, you know?" he said.

"But this is incredible!" said George, out of nowhere. "So, what are you lot going to do now? Why do you want to locate Angela, Hermione?"

"Well, firstly, she's family, George. Someone we didn't even know existed until 2 _days_ ago!" she said. "Secondly, I thought she might know something else that we're missing. Any information about the prophecy or the relics or anything that could be useful to us. Also, we still don't know what Sirius is really trying to tell us. What if we've missed something important?"

"Hmmm... Okay, you're right, I guess. You know I could help too, if you want," he offered. Harry thought he saw something different in George's face. He wasn't sounding himself ever since the story was narrated this morning. It almost looked like he's yearning for a changed course in history; a better life with his twin, perhaps.

"So, Harry, here's the plan," said Ron. "You definitely need Hermione by your side, so you guys dive into the diary as usual while George and I locate Izzy's sister. How does that sound?" he said, prodding Harry on his side.

"Sounds about right, I guess," Harry said, looking preoccupied. "I just hope she, you know, is still alive somewhere," he said, smiling hopefully at the table and, everyone, including the kids, nodded their heads with optimism.

oOo— **_Sirius's Memory_** —oOo

WILLIAMS-BLACK RESIDENCE, DORSET  
October 28, 1977

It was really early in the morning and the sun still wasn't up. Harry and Hermione shivered slightly as they stood basking under the moon's rays. Suddenly, they could see two figures appear out of the forest right ahead of them. It was Claiborne. She was running towards Harry and Hermione.

"Clay, WAIT!" yelled Peter, as he ran after her. A look of shock hung in his face, as he kept turning and looking back at the distant face of Remus which was marred with sorrow. Claiborne wouldn't listen to him and ran faster towards the house, wiping her face. It looked like she was crying. Harry looked back at Remus and saw James and Sirius appearing through a thicket of bush from behind him.

Claiborne burst into the house, giving Lily, Alice and Isabella a start. They looked up from their duelling pose and stared quizzically at Peter and Claiborne.

"No, LEAVE ME ALONE, Peter!" she yelled, as she ran upstairs to the girls' room. The girls looked at each other, then at Peter, before running up the stairs to find Claiborne. Just then, the door flew open once more and in came an anxious-looking Sirius and James and a dazed Remus.

"Mate, how long has this thing been going on for?" asked Sirius to Peter. "How long have you known?"

"For about a a year now," said Peter, impatiently and shrugged him off ( _"Why didn't he tell US?" James asked Sirius, sounding almost hurt_ ). "Remus, mate, listen, I will talk to her. She's just a little thrown at the moment... She... She obviously wasn't expecting to find out that you... Well... Let me talk to her," he said, shaking Remus's shoulder and ran up the stairs too. Harry and Hermione followed him.

"...what is going on? Why are you acting crazy?!" came Lily's from inside the room. James, Remus and Sirius got inside while Harry and Hermione watched on from the doorway. "Are you going somewhere?!" she asked, watching Claiborne throw her belongings into her trunk.

"Yes, Lily! I am leaving!" she bellowed. "I don't think I can spend ONE MORE SECOND under the same roof as a..."

"Clay!" came Peter's voice. He glowered at her as if asking her to shut up. " _Don't you dare_... He's about as dangerous as a fruitfly!" he yelled pointing at Remus. The girls looked around in confusion, while Remus merely stood there, looking helpless. "I mean, _yes_ , he has a condition, _yes_ , it is a lifelong thing and YES, it's scary but he's as good as it can get! Don't use this one thing to ruin what you two have..."

"Peter, by GOD, _you can't be SERIOUS_!" Claiborne yelled, with a look of absolute incredulity in her face. "Me? With a _WEREWOLF_?! For the _rest of my LIFE_?! God, you REALLY are as thick as everyone says you are!" she cried, and looked around.

The effect her words had was huge: James and Sirius looked like they could've punched her between the eyes, Remus looked thwarted and betrayed, Lily, Alice and Isabella looked gobsmacked and Peter looked like he'd just been slapped in the face. Lily, however, immediately gave a warning look across at Sirius and James, as if asking them to stand their ground.

"Clay, please..." begged Remus. "Look, let me explain..." he said and pulled her towards him only to see her _immediately_ backing away from him making him get even more dejected. Harry was sickened by the look of unreasonable fear that hung on her face. "Clay, I'm always going to be the _same person_! This condition really doesn't affect who I am and... I could never hurt _you_?! I couldn't DREAM of it!" he said, begging her to stay. "PLEASE, just listen to me..."

"NO! NOOO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she cried and ran to the back of the room. "I'm leaving! I have to leave right away! Mum was right; she always said she could see something different about you! I should've _known_! You were just too good to be true, Remus, I should've known!" she sobbed, speaking really fast. "I have to leave, I have to..."

"Whoa, hold on a second. Clay, do you realize just how _mental_ you sound, right now?!" said Sirius, choosing to ignore the glare from Lily. "Heck, we've been friends with him for _seven_ long years now, and he's been a werewolf since FOREVER and yet... _YET_ , here we all are, _still alive and_ _KICKING_! Explain that, Clay..." he said, breathing heavily.

"Really, well, if he's so harmless then... Then why does he have to be _watched over_ by you LOT every full moon, eh?!" she cried, shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh my god," exclaimed Sirius. "You know what, mate, she's not worth it. Just ask her to leave before I tackle her down..."

"Sirius, just SHUT UP!" bellowed Peter. "Not everyone's like you, you know?!" he yelled, through gritted teeth. "Not everyone is brave about EVERYTHING and... and see and accept things as easily as you, so back the hell OFF!" he said, making Sirius look around at him with a stunned expression. It almost looked like he was hurt by Peter's words. Peter quickly turned towards Claiborne, who was now stricken with fear, and said, "Clay, listen, please, he never meant to keep it from you. In fact, he was scared that this very thing might happen..."

"Peter, I _trusted_ you!" Claiborne wailed. "I trusted you _and_ Remus! And that's why, every time you and Remus had those little chats with Snape and his friends, I never said ANYTHING... to _anyone_!"

"Whoa, what...?" started Sirius.

" _Severus_?!" came Lily's voice.

"I _believed_ you when you said you were trying to get more information about You-Know-Who..." continued Claiborne.

"What in the world is going on?" asked James, looking accusingly at Remus.

"Oh stop it! I wasn't having _'little chats'_ with them, Clay. Hardly, if you may! And James, if you have to know, Peter was almost ALWAYS picked on by those dungbrains and, because you and Sirius were hardly ever there, _I_ had to untangle him from those blithering idiots!" said Remus.

"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell us about any of this?! I thought we told each other _everything_!" yelled Sirius.

"Obviously because I did not want to worry the two of you and get you all riled up..."

"REMUS! That's what _best friends_ do! We tell each other everything and _look out_ for each other, no matter what! You've been hiding things from us the whole time...? Heck, we didn't even know that you were seeing Claiborne for over a YEAR up until _five minutes ago_! Mate, it's getting harder and harder to buy your story..." said Sirius, eyeing him dangerously. "What game are you playing with us...?"

"GAME?! What game, what are you talking about...?!" he yelled, in complete frustration. "Don't be ridiculous, Sirius and, could you _please_ give us a minute?" he asked, desperation gripping his face. Turning to Claiborne he started, "Listen, Clay..."

"No, you stop with Claiborne and answer _me_! What are you on about, eh? _Are you on their side_?!" Sirius yelled, incredulously. "Are they using your werewolf form? Are you going to strike us next month on full-moon night?!" he asked, shaking Remus by his collar.

"Sirius, let go of him, what are you _doing_?" yelled James.

"Don't be an idiot, James! Open your eyes, Dumbledore mentioned the other day that we may have spies _within_ the Order!" he yelled. "This is it, James!" he yelled, pointing at Remus.

"Sirius, I'm your BEST FRIEND, how could you _say_ something like that?" said Remus

"We were just trying to help, James," said Peter, helplessly. "But that's not the point at all..."

"What else IS the point, Peter?" said Alice, who looked stricken. "What in the world is going on?! What, so _nobody_ can be _trusted_ anymore?!"

"You guys, everyone just SHUT. _UP_!" bellowed James, making all the noise stop at once. He then turned to look at Remus. "You know, I think it's best if you left, mate" said James, sounding distraught. "Just please, we have enough to deal with as it is, we can't handle more of it from _friends_ , so please just leave, Lupin."

"James!" yelled Isabella, looking horror-struck.

" _'Lupin'_ , huh?" said Remus. "So that's what it's come to... Sure I'll leave, James. Wouldn't want to hurt anyone..." he said, eyeing his friends helplessly, as if _begging_ them make him change his mind, lest he'd be gone forever. It was a pitiful sight as he turned and locked eyes with Claiborne one last time and felt himself dying a little on the side. He turned to Sirius and said, "Take care of her for me?" he asked, welling up a little and disapparated before Sirius could even answer him.

* * *

ANTWOOD FOREST, NORTH OF HOGSMEADE  
December 12, 1978

The scenes changed and Harry and Hermione found themselves in a dense forest. It was night-time. Fires were lit, tents were put up and several Order members were seen straddling up and down with important jobs: it was the Auror camp.

Harry and Hermione entered the tents closest to them and found Lily, Isabella and Alice fast asleep. Suddenly, Harry noticed a silver light glow through the fabric of the tent. The light grew larger and moved closer and closer until the Patronus cut through the fabric and hovered over Isabella's bed. It was a fox. As soon as the fox reached Isabella, the light that shone off from the Patronus glowed brightly until she stirred awake.

At first she did not seem to understand what was going on, but before long, her eyes flew open and she had to literally cover her mouth to stop herself from screaming out loud.

"Regulus...?" she whispered, her voice stricken with fear.

Without another word, the fox turned around and beckoned to her to follow it. Gingerly, she got out of her bed and tiptoed out of the tent. The fox strutted along into the dense forest and stopped when they were out of earshot.

"Regulus awaits you..." said the fox and before long, Isabella (along with Harry and Hermione) was lunged through a very tight invisible tube. Harry started to choke; he could hear his heart-beat echoing through his skull and his eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets any second. And, just when Harry thought he was going to drop dead, his legs thudded against a hard surface. He heaved air into his lungs before turning towards Hermione who was already looking up with a shocked expression on her face.

It was only then that Harry realized he was standing in front of a cave by the sea—the same cave that Harry had visited along with Dumbledore in his sixth year. A salty wind blew over the faces of Harry and Hermione as Isabella was approached by someone in the shadows. A second later, the moonlight illuminated his face and there stood Regulus; his face was marred with determination and hatred. A wave of shock spread through Harry's body. He knew what was going to happen inside the cave and he had no way of stopping it!

( _"Oh, Hermione, this is it! R.A.B.! This is it!" he said, clenching his hand tightly.)_

"Regulus?!" cried Isabella. "Wh... Where are we? Why did you bring me here?" she said, as a sudden thought dawned on her. "Are you... Is this a trap...? Am I being... _ambushed_?" she asked slowly, staring disbelievingly at him. The fear was evident in her eyes as she backed away from him, wand at the ready.

Regulus smirked. "Izzy, come on. I didn't have to send you a Patronous if I had planned on killing you," he said and after a moment's pause added, "I'm sorry about your parents, Izzy. I er... Shouldn't have..." he said, his voice dripping with guilt. He looked up with glistening eyes and spoke again. "How's er... How's Angie holding up?" he asked, apologetically.

Isabella's expression changed. Her face hardened at the thought of her parents and their brutal murder. Harry couldn't help but notice how strong she was being about the incident; he recalled how he hadn't handled the death of his parents _quite_ as well she was right now. He wasn't even sure if he'd have been even _remotely_ as forgiving as she was being with the person responsible for something as tragic as this.

She didn't say anything at first but merely nodded in response. "She's with my grandparents," she said, gravely. Her expression changed almost instantly though, softening up a little this time. " _Why_ , Regulus? Why are you doing all this? You were such a great boy... Mum loved you the most, you know?" she said.

Both of them looked miserable. It looked like Regulus was battling a rather large lump in his throat and seemed to be trying very hard not to breakdown.

"I er... I know. I was wrong, Izzy," he said, pitifully. "I had got it all wrong!" he cried, kicking the black rock in front of him. "I thought I was fighting for the greater good, but now... _Now_ I realize how right Sirius was!" he said, and laughed and sobbed at the same time. "Can you believe Sirius being right about something, ever?!" he said, as his eye glistened with remorse. "I have done nothing but _terrible_ things up until now; things NO ONE would forgive me for, ever!" he said, wiping his face, finally displaying his pent up emotions.

"No! No, of course not! Regulus, _I_ forgive you!" she said, with a shaky voice. Harry noticed she was biting back an emotional breakdown as well, as her eyes started to water a little. " _Sirius_ forgives you! He misses you terribly! In fact, you know what? Come home with me right now. Start afresh, Regulus..."

"No Izzy, that's _not_ why I brought you here!" he said, eyeing her darkly. "I have some _very_ important business to take care of at the moment that I need your help on. I couldn't trust anyone else with this, except you. But before I tell you what it is, you need to promise to _NOT_ reveal this to anyone until the time is right!" he said, with his eyes wide open.

"Regulus, I don't understand..."

"Izzy, please! There is not much time! Listen to me, very carefully. The Lord has secreted the locket of Slytherin inside this cave and you are going to help me retrieve it. The task itself needs two people to accomplish it so I really want you by my side!"

"Regulus!" cried Isabella, her eyes brimming with happiness. "Are you _actually_ doing this? You're actually turning your back on the Dark Lord?!" she said, embracing him tightly. "I knew you'd come around! I always _knew_ you didn't belong with the Death Eaters!"

Regulus wiped his face one more time and nodded happily at her before adding, "Izzy, this is very important. Before we go in there, I want you to promise that no matter WHAT happens, no matter how much in pain I am, _you will do as you're told_. I can't do this without you, Izzy, so please promise me to always DO AS YOU ARE TOLD! I might even try and kill myself in the process, but you can't let that happen. We go in with a mission and you are going to help me accomplish it. Deal?" he said, looking directly into her eyes.

"Okay, but..."

"Izzy, focus! _Do we have a deal_?" he asked her one more time. She mutely nodded as a sudden sense of doubt crept up her face.


	23. The Tale of the Locket

**Firstly, happy Diwali (the festival of Lights) to everyone around the world! This chapter (most randomly, I tell you), somehow ended up being all about _'the triumph of good over evil'_ which also happens to be the very spirit of Diwali :) Hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it and, as always, feedback is welcome. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: The Tale of the Locket**

* * *

oOo- **_Sirius's Memory_ ** -oOo

An eerie howl roared in the cave while the Black Lake spluttered and spewed; several pairs of white and cloudy eyes stared back at a dazed Isabella who was shaking uncontrollably from head to foot. Harry could hear her whimpering miserably as she dragged herself out of the water and as far away from the Inferi as possible.

"Regulus..." she managed to say. There was no answer from the still body that lay ahead of her on the rocky shore. "Regulus, please..." she sobbed. The locket clanged loudly against the rocks as she dragged herself closer to the body. "Please don't leave me alone here, Regulus, I need you!" she cried and shook his body harder in an attempt to awaken him. "Regulus you need to see the Dark Lord's fall after all this, so _please_! At least for that, fight back!" she said, desperately trying to revive him.

She realized she was lying down on a pool of blood that was gushing out of his right leg, possibly from the bites that he must have sustained from the Inferi. She was now sobbing uncontrollably as the undeniable truth slowly started to sink in. "Fight back, please fight back!" she cried, as she regained some of her energy to shake him awake. "I can't do this without you, Reg...ulus," she hiccoughed, as she laid her head on his shoulder. "How am I going to keep this a secret...?!" she cried to herself. "No one will know how brave you've been..." she sobbed, lying down next to him.

Hermione was sobbing uncontrollably next to Harry, who was standing rooted to his spot, thunderstruck at what he'd witnessed. This probably could end up as being one of Harry's gruesomest nightmares ever; of all the deaths and _terrible_ sights he'd ever had the misfortune to witness, the switching of the lockets in this cave would, most undeniably and _irrevocably_ be the worst of them all.

The two of them stood there side by side and continued to watch the scenes unfold in front of their eyes. A very painful lump was building up in Harry's throat as the full weight of Regulus's sacrifice hit him. The locket had been the most priced and the most securely guarded Horcrux of Voldemort and, the mere thought that Regulus had gotten ready to give up his life trying to get it was beyond anything Harry could possibly imagine. And, to think he had taken the extreme step for the sheer love for a _House Elf_ , was something no ordinary wizard would ever be able to do, Harry thought.

Isabella continued to lie next to the still body, quite unable to move just yet. "Regulus...?" she whispered. "If you're listening, know that, you're the greatest brother and friend we will _ever_ have. You've done us all proud," she said, crying miserably. "Thank you for everything..." she said, as a slow breeze blew over Harry and Hermione's faces. The images started to change and they were heading into another memory.

Harry and Hermione found themselves standing in lush forest that overlooked a sea. Harry suspected they were still on the beach where the cave was located. It was still night-time; the woods ahead of them were blanketed with darkness making it seem eerie and murky. Soon enough, Harry noticed a dim light emanating from deep within the woods. He gave a nervous glance at Hermione, who returned his look with an uncertain nod. Warily, they made their way towards the light.

After a few minutes of walking towards the light, Harry and Hermione found a small clearing in the middle of the forest and a tiny cottage stood in front of them. The door to the cottage was slightly ajar and Harry led the way inside. The cottage had only two rooms and was smelly and dingy with pots and pans hanging from the ceiling. The carpets and curtains were moth-eaten and the walls looked extremely damp and filthy. Hermione looked inside the other room and let out a low whimper of surprise: it was the same hooded witch that Dumbledore had met in The Three Broomsticks; the same witch who had made the prophecy of the Twin Souls...

She was bending over a bed and seemed to be tending to someone else who was lying on the bed, unconscious. The old witch muttered something under her breath, dropped a pinch of silver dust into a phial and then fed it an unconscious Isabella. Slowly, she stirred awake and seemed to gain some strength back. At first, she seemed petrified at the sight that welcomed her, but wasn't strong enough to even jerk awake and demand an explanation.

"Wh... Where am I...?" she managed to get out. "Who are you...?" she said, sounding frightened for the first time. In all this time that Harry got to observe Isabella, he realized not once did something scare her off: not when her parents died, not when the castle was attacked, not when she realized even the Ministry was plotting to assassinate her, not _ever_. However, now, in her current frail state, when she is absolutely powerless, is when she truly displayed fear.

The old witch didn't say anything at first and continued to look at Isabella through her pearl-white, insipid eyes. Her extremely lined face curved into a small smile before she spoke. "I'm Mother Medea. Several hundred years I have breathed in this realm, not once did I think I would live to see the daughter of Princess Irvette," she said, running her hand over Isabella's head. "Beautiful and brave she was..." she said. "Just like you, Isabella..."

"Please..." breathed Isabella, almost pleading. "Please, I need to leave... Where _am_ I?" she asked again. "Who are you...? How did I get here...?" she said, trying to sit up. In that instant, a glint from the locket around her neck illuminated the dim room for a split-second and Mother Medea's eyes instantly widened with shock.

"The Jewel of Light!" she hissed. " _Maavros_ , how did the locket find _you_?! _Why has it come to you?!_ " she mused, more to herself than to Isabella, with a look of disbelief permanently plastered across her face. "A Caedesmortan jewel on... _Gryffindor's_ descendant...?" she mumbled to herself, looking distracted.

"I... I don't understand," said Isabella, uncertainly. She looked a lot stronger now as she slowly sat up right in her bed. "Do you know something about this locket? All I know is that, this locket, among other relics, was stolen from Hogwarts several weeks ago by the Dark Lord and Professor Dumbledore, our headmaster, had ordered us to retrieve it back somehow," she explained nervously. "It belonged to the Dark Lord's great ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, or so they say."

"No dear. It belonged to _Salazar's_ great ancestor, _Mávros_ Slytherin. It was eventually bequeathed to rightful heirs over several generations to then, finally fall into Salazar's hands. This," she said, looking at the jewel that hung from Isabella's neck, "is no ordinary rock. This locket is the decider of all of Magic's fate. Isabella, there may be several ways in which Light can conquer Darkness; however, if not done right, my dear, Darkness will eventually triumph and prevail over the magical world once more."

"Er... _Mávros_ _Slytherin..._? This... _This_ locket is the decider of Magic's fate? How..."

"Mávros Slytherin was the first ever greatest Dark Wizard who once ruled the magical world, my dear," she said, without waiting for Isabella to finish. "He was so great, so powerful and so fearsome and wreaked _such_ havoc upon the world that witches and wizards of the time refused to even write about him or his rule in any books out of pure fear. And that is why very few people today even know of him and his existence today.

"That locket around your neck, Isabella, is perhaps, one of the most ancient pieces of magical objects that has been preserved and passed down over the ages," she said, and bleakly stared at the girl on the bed. "Let me narrate you a story of a time when Magic was performed without wands and spells. When Black Magic flourished. When the first boundaries of Light and Dark was marked...

"More than one thousand years ago, the great land of Caedesmort won a new King and ruler named Mávros Slytherin; a mighty kingdom that believed in power and carnage. There were a few other very large and powerful kingdoms but, Mávros considered only one other such land as equally powerful and massive as his own and, that kingdom was ruled by _your_ great ancestor, Daerian Gryffindor.

"It was during that war between Caedesmort and Woldorin that Mávros met the love of his life, Princess Irvette, who was, unfortunately also Daerian's wife. Irvette realized that Mávros's love for her could potentially wipe out her entire kingdom and decided to sacrifice her life for the sake of her people and husband. Her death, Isabella, was as great as the plague itself...

"Mávros, may have sinfully fallen for the wife of another, but his love was pure... So pure that it drove him insane and the kingdom itself drowned in his gloom. A heart-broken Mávros was eventually defeated and lost his throne to the King of Woldorin.

"Now, you might think Gryffindor was the noblest, wisest and mightiest of rulers of the time, except he was not. There was darkness in him as well. Drunk with sadness and revenge in his heart, King Daerian took away everything from Mávros: his wand, his power, his throne, his gold, his kingdom... _even his wife_. More sinners are cursed at not because we despise their sins but because we envy their success at sinning, and Daerian was one of the biggest precedents of that very success. Aglæca Malvolia Slytherin, the brave and fearsome wife of Mávros, was, as legend has it, imprisoned in the highest towers of Woldorin's castle and was despoiled, enslaved and tortured by a devastated Daerian to the point of death itself, but the unspeakable deeds were concealed till the end of his time.

"Devastated and beaten, Mávros went into exile with nothing but that locket around his neck. That cave on the seashore, Isabella, was where he breathed his last. Before his death, the Dark Wizard cursed the locket and placed within its confines a piece of his spirit so that, even after his time, his Magic and his greatness will prolong. It has been cursed such that, the magical world would always be ruled and conquered by Dark Magic as unleashed by his successors. And that is exactly why, even after his time, there is so much unrest and bloodshed in our world.

"Mávros's first victory was when Salazar Slytherin rose to power and threatened to despoil the peace and happiness in his realm. Four generations later, another evil sorcerer by name Raczidian Warlock came to power, who was also Mávros's descendant. Raczidian was considered more powerful and more treacherous than Salazar had ever been and unleashed terror and bloodshed during the Third Age. Several hundred years after Raczidian's time Gellert Grindelwald rose, who, as you may already know, was overthrown by Albus Dumbledore himself. And now, after all this time, the magical world is yet again at the mercy of Tom Riddle, the final heir and descendant of Mávros."

A long spell of silence followed that monologue from Mother Medea. Isabella (along with Harry and Hermione) was looking wide-eyed at the old, haggard face of her caretaker. Her face was brimming with disbelief. Mother Medea, on the other hand, looked distressed and a look of longing hung in her eyes.

"So... Vol... I mean, You-Know-Who, is the last in the line of descendants of Mávros Slytherin and... If he's defeated, the spell of Dark Wizards who would be born again in this world would... Would be broken?" asked Isabella, uncertainly.

" _If_ he's defeated, yes," said Mother Medea. "That locket's chamber houses some of the most malevolent pieces of Dark Magic witches and wizards have ever known and should be destroyed by something more powerful in order to conquer Darkness.

"But... Remember what I said about how it is _imperative_ that the passage from Dark to Light has to be done right lest, the magical would world slip into a permanent shroud of black? I have seen into the future and something very troubling has met my eye..." she said, making Harry turn and look at Hermione with a confused look.

"Although the locket gets destroyed by a very powerful wizard, the curse of Mávros would still _not_ be broken..." she said and paused for a bit. When Isabella looked at her questioningly, she continued, "You see, my dear, to eternally conquer Dark Magic, that locket must be destroyed by the Dark Lord himself. That was the clause that was placed upon the locket by Mávros himself. That, is the only way the fate of Magic can be helped..."

"Oh, but that's close to IMPOSSIBLE! We could never achieve that!" cried Isabella, looked perplexed. "So, are you telling me that Regulus died for _nothing_?! That no matter how hard we fight, this is never going to end?! That something horrible is going to happen eventually, _no matter what_?!"

"I think not. Our last hope is Time, my dear. Time, can change everything. Hopefully..."


	24. At The Burrow

**Just 55 short of 3,000 views! =) Er... Okay, I don't know why I feel like celebrating that... Quite random, I agree. I.G.N.O.R.E.!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: At The Burrow**

* * *

 **November 9, 2016**

oOo- **_Present..._** -oOo

The kitchen door swung open and in came Ron and George after a long day's search. Harry and Hermione's face lit up instantly as they exchanged knowing looks. Before Harry he could resist, the words were out of his mouth.

"Hey there, Mr. _Powerful_ Wizard Person!" yelled Harry with a teasing smile splashed all over his face. "Would you like to borrow my daughter's Princess Pink toy wand for the road?" he asked, trying to sound very serious. George, Angelina, Hermione and Ginny roared with laughter next to him.

Ron, however, casually tossed his wand up in the air and caught it before adding, "I am QUITE the master of Slug Spells, you know, _Potter?_ " he said, placing unnecessary emphasis on the last word. "You don't want me to ' _accidentally,_ '" he said, making air quotes with his fingers, "hit you with one now, do you?" he said, with a smile that was a concoction of deranged insanity and pure sadistic wickedness.

"Oooohh... A challenge! I like it!" grinned George, as he turned to look at Harry, waiting for a retort. But Harry was positively flummoxed at the look Ron was sporting and, for a split second, _actually_ believed that his best-friend- _cum-_ brother-in-law wasn't bluffing. He smiled weakly at George trying to turn on his 'macho' façade before waving it off.

"So," said Ron, enjoying the look on his mate's face. "There's more to the locket, then, huh?" he asked, trying to stifle the victory grin that was literally threatening to paralyze his facial muscles. His expression changed immediately though. "You know what I can't believe, though?" he said, throwing his hands out in exasperation. "I can't believe how unbelievably _mental_ my luck is!" he said, shoving his backpack on the couch before slumping next Angelina giving the idea that he had only just slayed a dragon which magicked itself back to life. "I mean, come to think of it. The _one_ time I was _actually_ useful was when I destroyed that Horcrux. And now... NOW... I don't even get to bask in that glory! _Bollocks,_ I tell you!" he said, sulking mildly.

"Nooo, really?" said Angelina from next to him. "Think of it this way. Only _because_ YOU destroyed it, was that old witch able to look into the future and tell Izzy all about how _powerful_ a wizard you are and how it wasn't meant to be destroyed by you! I agree, negative publicity, but you're still a legend, Ron!" she said, grinning broadly.

"Wow!" said Ron, looking positively surprised. "And that's why you're on TOP of my 'Most Favourite Family Members' list!" he said, thumping her on the back.

"What about you lot? Were you able to get something worked out on Angela's whereabouts?" asked Hermione. "You've been at it for two days straight now," she added, with a tiny tinge of accusation in her tone.

"Yeah, if you think we've been _wasting_ our time in the joke shop trying to come up with newer techniques to wreck this kitchen and ruffle up our women, you're _wrong_!" guffawed George, waving off Hermione's theory as absolutely ludicrous while giving Harry a look that seemed to suggest otherwise. Harry chuckled while Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyway, about Angela Williams," continued George, "I'm afraid we were unsuccessful. There are NO records whatsoever of her existence, both Magical and Muggle. It's as if she never existed and I felt that to be kind of strange, if you ask me. I mean, the Muggles are ardent lovers of records and... I mean, they're very methodical. It's almost impossible to miss someone in their system... Wonder what happened..." he trailed off.

Harry saw Ron's head immediately turn to look at his wife who was already deep in thought. "That _is_ kind of strange... In fact," she said, and suddenly her eyes flew open. "But... Are you sure she's not a registered witch in _our_ records too, George? I mean, she _was_ born in Islington, right next to Sirius's house and they lived as muggles and... It can't be... Can it... But there's no way to prove it..." it looked like Hermione was talking more to herself than to everyone else. "Wait!" she suddenly said, and her eyes flew open. "Oh my GOD! How could we have missed this all along?!" she squealed, making everyone shift uncomfortably in their seats.

"Hermione, what is it?" asked Ron, looking worried.

"Ron! I need to find mum! I... I can't believe we've all been so blind all along!" she said and jumped to her feet. She disappeared up the stairway and returned with a sleepy-looking Mrs Weasley.

"...what is it 'Mione? I have a very long day tomorrow, you know?" came the sleepy voice of Mrs Weasley. "Well... The house better be on fire..." she yawned and looked around at the inquisitive faces of her children. "What is going on?" she asked thunderstruck, looking at Hermione, who led to her to one of the couches in the hall.

"Mum, I need to ask you something... Something very, very important," said Hermione, and glanced nervously around the room. Several pairs of eyes stared back at her and she could sense the growing excitement on their faces. Hermione cleared her throat and, shifted nervously in her chair before looking straight at Mrs Weasley. "Umm... I need to ask you something," she said, in her most cautious tone. "The original Order of the Phoenix... Apart from the Marauders, who else were a part of it from Hogwarts?" she asked, shakily.

"Well," said Mrs Weasley, looking aghast. She clearly looked annoyed to be awoken in the middle of the night to tell everyone what they already knew. "Er... Let me see... Lupin, Pettigrew, Podmore, the Longbottoms... Bones... Mundungus Fletcher, _that rat!_ " she added, giving her children a knowing look. "Oh and Fenwick, of course! Hagrid... Meadowes... and there was another girl too, I quite forget her name..."

Hermione looked shiftily at Harry before asking, "Er... Williams?"

"Who?" asked Mrs Weasley, looking quite confused. This time, it was Ron's turn to look at Hermione with a stunned expression.

" _WHO?_ " asked Ron, incredulously. "You can't be serious! You've fought alongside her! Plus, she was one of the most wanted Aurors of the time, how can you not know?" he asked, smiling uncertainly.

"Who are we talking about?" asked Mrs Weasley, looking positively stumped. "I know no Williams...! The most wanted Auror...?" her voice trailed away as she looked around at the shocked faces on her children. "Is something wrong, dears?" she asked, quite frightened.

"Mum, you honestly DON'T remember Isabella Williams?" asked George. "How's that even _possible_? You two have met on _several_ occasions, even fought alongside each other during the First Battle of Hogwarts! You actually don't recall any of it?" he asked, moving closer to her.

Harry noticed Mrs Weasley was suddenly finding it hard to breathe. Little drops of sweat burst out on her forehead and her hands started to tremble. "Izzy Williams...?" she said, between breaths. "Where... Where have I heard that name before...?" she said, rubbing her forehead. "I... I... Why do I think I know someone like that...?" she asked, and looked around wide-eyed. Her breaths grew shorter and shorter and her face was slowly reddening. Harry, sensing that something has gone terribly wrong, immediately jumped to his feet and took her hand in his.

"Mrs Weasley, its fine!" he said, rubbing her now cold hands. Ron and Hermione looked worried. "Calm down, please, you're beginning to hyper ventilate!" he yelled. But she wasn't paying any attention to him anymore. Harry was positively terrified now. "Ron! George! Help me lift her! We need to get her to rest right away before she has a heart-attack or something!" he yelled, making them both jump to their feet too. "Ginny! Bring me that bar of chocolate we'd got for Lily! It's in your purse!" he said, as the boys gently carried a petrified-looking Mrs Weasley back to her room.

oOo— _1 hour later..._ –oOo

Ron, Hermione, Angelina and Ginny sat by the table sipping hot chocolate while George and Harry paced the room looking deep in thought.

"Okay, I have to ask..."said Ron, quite out of the blue. "What just happened?!" he asked, looking innocently at Hermione. "And how did we NOT think of this before?!" he yelled, throwing the last bit of toast on to his plate. "We could've asked her about Isabella Williams ANY time, she was right THERE!" he yelled, pointing at an invisible Mrs Weasley.

"Well, I guess we were just so used to getting into adventures alone," said Harry, with a slight smirk. "But one thing's for sure, though... She doesn't know Isabella, in fact, doesn't even recall the existence of someone like that. This could probably mean one thing: that diary could be lying..." he said, looking directly at his wife, who instantly grew pale in the face.

"WHAT?!" bellowed Ron. His eyes were so wide open now, Harry feared he might just succeed at tearing his eyelids right out of his head.

"Harry, come on, really...?" began Hermione.

"Hermione, honestly, don't you remember Tom's diary that Ginny was slipped with? Something that looks that bloody innocent turned out to be one of the biggest threats to Hogwarts itself! These pieces of magic can't be trusted and I think I was foolish enough to fall into the trap of yet _another_ one..." he said, grinding his teeth together. Anger and rage burned in his chest as he held Ginny's hand who looked very embarrassed and sullen right now.

Grimacing violently, Ron slammed the tea towel on the table, making everyone jump right out of their wits. Truth be told, despite Ron's effort of making it seem dramatic and all, Harry had to muster up every ounce of energy in his body to keep himself from bursting out laughing. _What is_ wrong _with me?_

"Now WHY would someone write up _such_ a load of slug dung and slip it into this humble house of ours, eh?!" he asked, looking positively stricken. "WHY? I mean, does NO ONE EVER respects the peace and quiet that _I_ want to enjoy with my wife and kids this holidays?!" he said, slamming the table again in the most theatrical fashion. Despite himself, Ron, somehow, always had a way of lightening the mood.

"Well, _everything_ is not about you, Ronald, The Great!" retorted Ginny from next to Harry. "Besides, I don't think the diary is bogus or lying because, if you watched closely, it looked like she was trying hard to remember that name... Like, somewhere in the depths of her memory, she actually _knew_ the person... If you ask me, someone must have wiped out her memory entirely of Isabella Williams..." she said. Harry beamed proudly at Ginny.

"You're right, Ginny..." said Hermione. "I thought that too... And that holds good for Angela as well... I think that's exactly why there are no records of her birth or death and that was exactly what led me to ask mum about Izzy as well... Even if Angela's alive, she probably is living as someone else with some other name and there is no way of finding her whereabouts now!"

"Why, though...?" asked both George and Harry at the same time. George grinned at Harry before continuing. "Why would an entire family be wiped off all records and wiped off everyone's _memories_ as well? I have a bad feeling about this. I mean, if _mum_ herself has no clue of who Izzy or Angie were, then I'm sure, it was a mass memory wipe-out charm on all and everyone who may have even _remotely_ known her and her family!"

"Whoever did this for whatever reason must have done it for something bigger than anyone in this room can imagine," said Ginny. Harry looked at the grim expression on her face. "For all you know, _Sirius's_ memory too must have been wiped out, 'cause, otherwise, we would've heard about an Isabella Williams that he was in _love_ with. I mean, he surely could NOT have missed telling Harry all about his girlfriend who was all Gryffindor's heir and them being cursed and the concept of Twin Souls and all...?!"

" _Perfect_ ," said Harry, slamming his hand to his head. "I mean, we're going in circles! We're not getting anywhere with this, are we?" he said, tiredly rubbing his temples with his thumbs. "There's just too much that's happened in the past, too much history that so few in this world, I'm sure, even KNOW about and I don't even know _what_ we're supposed to be solving here!" he said, looking frustrated.

"Harry, stop ranting, I can't think!" said Hermione, who seemed to be concentrating really hard. "One thing's clear..." she said, finally. "If _all_ of Isabella and Angela's records have been wiped out, both Magical _and_ Muggle, it can only mean one thing: the Ministry was responsible for this..." she said, with finality. Everyone gaped at her, quite unable to say anything right away. "Because _only_ the Ministry has access to records of both worlds and the resources to carry out a mass memory wipe—out charm," she said, looking out the window. "And that brings me to the conclusion that... Either just Izzy or both Izzy _and_ Angie were, in reality, actually _assassinated_ by the Ministry itself..."


	25. As The Seventh Month Dies

**Chapter 25: Harry Potter... FINALLY! :)**

* * *

~oOo~ **_Sirius's Memory..._** oOo~

 **JULY 31, 1980**

WILLIAMS-BLACK RESIDENCE, DORSET  
 _5:46 AM_

 _Crack!_

Sirius and Isabella looked up and appeared horror-struck. Soon enough, there was a sharp knock on the door. Something in the knock seemed to suggest a sense of urgency in the caller. Wands at the ready, Sirius and Isabella slowly walked towards the door.

"Who's there?!" yelled Sirius.

 _"It's me! James!"_

A sudden smile broke out on Sirius's face. He looked around eagerly at Isabella before adding, "What was Isabella's great-great-great-grandmother's name?"

 _"Norvella Scarlet Gryffindor!"_ yelled back James. _"Now come on! Let me in! I have great news!"_ came a cheerful voice from behind the door.

Sirius excitedly yanked the door open and looked expectantly at James. "So...?" he asked.

At first, James just stood there beaming down at his two best friends. When Isabella and Sirius anxiously gestured to him to start talking, he yelled, "It's a BOY!" and ran into Sirius's arms while Isabella squealed with joy.

"Oh, I can't believe it! Frank and Alice had a boy too, mere _hours_ ago!" cried Isabella. James excitedly nodded his head as if to say he knows and wrapped his arms tightly around her as well. Harry swore he hadn't seen that many teeth on a person's face ever. ( _"And so it begins!" said Ron, smiling widely and thumped Harry on his back. Harry grinned at him and sat down next to Ron. "Welcome to the world, mate," said Ron_ ) _._

"I'm so stoked! Oh, Lily would just LOVE to have you two beside her right now..." said James, letting go of the pair. Isabella looked longingly at Sirius who immediately dismissed it with stern shake of his head. "Oh, and it's decided!" continued James, looking wide-eyed at Sirius and Isabella. "We've made you... Our son's godfather..." he said, his voice brimming with pride.

"Why am I not surprised?" grinned Sirius and hugged James once more. "How's Lily holding up, though? Why are you HERE when you should be there?!" yelled Sirius with a wide grin.

"What sort of a question IS that?" asked James walking eagerly over to the crib that rocked lightly next to the window. A little head popped up from behind the bars and flashed a toothless smile at her godfather. "To introduce little Julianne to her future _groom_ of course!" he said, making goofy faces at the 10-month old toddler who seemed to be beside herself with joy. James gently picked her up and lifted her high up in the air making her flap and giggle with joy. "Didn't we plan on that three _years_ ago?!"said James, flashing his most stupid grin ever.

"Yes, we did," said Sirius, smiling thoughtfully to himself. "Speaking of... How er... How's Remus?" he asked, hesitantly. "Does he... I mean did you tell him...?"

"I don't even know where the bloke is holed up, mate," said James, bluntly. However, a look of remorse crossed his face as he mutely stared at Sirius. "I've tried reaching him to no avail," he said, sighing heavily. "Frankly, it's killing me..."

"Me too," said Sirius, without letting him finish. "Me too, James," he said, kicking his chair. "Keep wondering if I'd got it all wrong, you know?" he said, barely meeting anyone's eye. "Once this is all over, we're going to find him, Prongs," he said, looking determined.

"I thought you'd never ask," James said, nodding his approvingly.

"Alright then, can we all _go_ to St. Mungo's already?!" said Isabella out of nowhere, her eagerness more than evident on her face. When James and Sirius exchanged shocked glances with each other, she quickly added, "Please, James, I haven't left this place in _weeks_ and I want to meet my godson!" she said, crossly. "Please take me with you too?" she asked, almost pleading.

"Izzy, come on, you know better than that..." said James. "St. Mungo's is _teeming_ with all kinds of people affiliating to Dark and Light and _everyone's_ willing to turn you in, you couldn't possibly even _think_ of stepping out..." he said, continuing to rock Julianne in his hands. Isabella's face fell. "Look, I really, _really_ want you there, trust me, but it's too dangerous. The posters are everywhere!" he said, removing a crumpled piece of parchment from inside his  
robes and slamming it on the table:

oo~~~~~~~~õOõ~~~~~~~~oo

WANTED!

ISABELLA ( _THE RESISTANCE_ ) WILLIAMS

 _EXTREMELY DANGEROUS EX-AUROR_ and ENEMY of MAGIC

ORDERS PASSED TO "KILL-ON-SIGHT"!

PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST AUROR OFFICE WITH ANY INFORMATION ON THIS PERSON AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED!

REWARD: 1,000 GALLEONS

SIGNED: Millicent Bagnold, Minister for Magic

oo~~~~~~~~õOõ~~~~~~~~oo

Isabella smirked. "I am ' _WANTED_ ' but I continue to be referred to as the _'The Resistance,'_ eh?" she said, raising her eyebrow in amusement.

"Well, you... _WERE_ the best they ever had," said Sirius, smiling widely at his wife. "Whether they like you or not," he said, rubbing her face with his finger. "But James is right, though... You're an _outlaw_ right now, Izzy. The Ministry is after your neck, Death Eaters are thronging the streets in disguise and all of the Magical community is _dying_ to get a bit of gold by turning you in... I mean, you may be one of the most powerful witches the Auror Force _or_ the Ministry has _ever_ had but they are desperate right now and are, CLEARLY, ready to go to any lengths to show the Magical community that they are doing something about the War," he said, Harry noticed him clenching his lower jaw in muffled fury.

"Well, I'll come in as _someone else_!" she said, sounding equally annoyed. "There's Polyjuce Potion..."

"They've installed the Thief's Downfall at _every_ corner of the building!" said Sirius, warningly. There was a hint of impatience in his voice.

He closed his eyes in frustration and held her by her hands before speaking up again. "Izzy, honestly, you _know_ how much I hate doing this to you, but you're more important than anything else for me right now. I can't let you out of here, I'm sorry..." he said, looking apologetically at her.

"Well... There's... There's James's Invisibility Cloak too..." she said in her smallest voice, not daring to meet Sirius's eye.

Sirius and James looked truly stumped at this. It's true the Invisibility Cloak would quite easily pass through the waterfall with no hassles whatsoever. But before either could say anything, she said, "You know what, I'm sorry, I shouldn't... I... You two should go right ahead, Lily is going to start wondering. I'll take care of Julianne here..." she said, most dejectedly and broke away from Sirius's grip. James and Sirius looked ashen-faced but couldn't really say anything to make her feel any better.

A low smoke started to engulf the scene once more.

The images dissolved again and, this time, Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing in a hospital room.

A little baby boy flailed and kicked at the blanket that was comforting him. ( _"No scar, yet, huh?" said Ron, smiling widely._ _"Ron!" came Hermione's voice, accompanied by a tern glare as if she disapproved of him making jokes about the scar. "But, seriously, welcome to this horribly messed up world of ours, Harry!" she said, grinning broadly)_. A small gathering stood around Lily's bed. Among them were Dumbledore, Hagrid, Peter, Claiborne, Mary, a young Petunia, and two others, who were well in their fifties that Harry didn't recognize. ( _"Hey, those are my grandparents, I think," he said, nudging at Ron and Hermione. Harry couldn't contain the wide smile that was permanently plastered across his face at the small gathering_ ). Dumbledore silently watched on looking slightly pre-occupied and worried.

"Sooooo," said Sirius, looking down at the 6-hour-old baby boy in front of him. "What have you two decided to name him?" he asked, gleefully.

"Er... Okay, we are a little torn between John, Charles and Harry..." he said. "I like all, but Lily is being a bit fussy..."

"And for good reason!" said Lily, laughing out loud. "Can you imagine _Charles_ Potter as a name, because I can't!" she said, giggling.

"Wha... _It was my great-uncle's name_!" James bellowed and turned to Sirius for help. Mr and Mrs Evans laughed at this. Dumbledore merely smiled while Peter continued to stare adoringly at the new-born.

"I'm sorry, but I'm with Lily on this one," said Sirius, chortling away. "Although, I somehow quite like the ring of _Harry_ Potter," he said looking thoughtful. "Sounds like a name that the Magical community would talk about for _centuries_ , you know?" he said, smiling at the rest of the group. "Harry Potter," he repeated, this time sounding dreamy.

"Well, then, _Harry_ it is, I guess," said Mr Evans. "Harry Potter, my dear grandson," he said, kissing the top of the baby's head. ( _Hermione looked at Harry who seemed to be finding it hard to breathe just at the moment_ ).

"Must say, I think _'Harry'_ sounds about right too," said Dumbledore with a nod. Immediately, there was a burst of activity in the tiny room as everyone took turns to initiate the magical rites of the christening ritual. However, before it was Sirius's turn to cast his enchantments on little Harry, Dumbledore pulled him aside, looking quite tense.

"Sirius..." he whispered. "From this day on, I want you and Isabella to remain by James and Lily's side at all times," he said.

Sirius looked curiously at Dumbledore. "Sir, is everything okay?" he asked, lowering his voice even further, making sure James and Lily don't hear any part of this conversation.

"Nothing's ever right in a world that's ridden with _war!_ " he spat, looking even more haggard. "This world is at the mercy of a _madman_ and we have to do everything to safeguard the young and the innocent. As Harry's godfather, YOU must always be by his side, Sirius," he said, looking him straight in the eye. "We can't let anything happen to him, at ANY cost!" he said.

"Professor?" suddenly came a voice from behind them. It was James. He had broken off from the group and walked towards Dumbledore and Sirius with a worried look. Dumbledore nodded at him as if to say, _'Let's take this outside'_ , and the three of them stepped out of the hospital room and into an empty broom cupboard.

"James," said Dumbledore. "I er..." started Dumbledore and seemed to contemplate on whether he should be honest with him or not and, in a second seemed to choose the former. "Might as well keep you informed beforehand, I reckon. James, everything I am about to say right now may come as a shock to you, but I want you to be brave no matter what," he said, and sighed heavily. "Three years ago, around the same time as Isabella's disappearance from the Auror camp, a prophecy was made in the Hog's Head; a prophecy about a boy being born at the end of July... A boy who could potentially vanquish the Dark Lord," he said, nodding towards Harry's room. "It gets worse though," he continued, this time straightening up to his full height. "We were overheard by a Death Eater. James, Harry's life is in _grave_ danger," he said, placing his hand on James's shoulder.

All the blood from James's face seemed to drain as he continued to gape at Dumbledore. " _H-Harry_...?" he managed to say after a long pause. "He's after _Harry_ now...? But he's just a _baby_!" he bellowed. "How could a _baby_ ever be a THREAT to that _stinking son of a..._?!"

"James!" said Sirius, as if asking him to calm down. "But Professor, how do you specifically know it's Harry? Frank and Alice gave birth to a boy too mere _hours_ ago?" he said.

"Yes, Sirius, it could be their son too, we don't know. I have warned them as well," he said, looking grim. "Have instructed Molly and Arthur to safeguard their family until all this ends," he said and sighed loudly. "The prophesy said the Dark Lord will mark one of the boys as his equal, and until he does that, we need to be on alert mode _at all times_ ," he said. "And that's why I am assigning you and Isabella to the task, Sirius," he said, looking at Sirius this time. "We _need_ Isabella. No one ever gets past her, _ever_!" he said as Sirius mutely nodded, quite stumped for words at the moment.

The images started to change yet again.

~oO

 **MARCH 10, 1981**  
 _8 Months later..._

It was night-time and the wind was howling in Harry's ears. The sky was heavy with thick grey clouds that swirled and pelted balloons of rain upon the parched lands below. Harry realized they were flying over a crowded city or village of some sort going by the number of houses that were peppered all over the place. His lenses started to fog as the rain lashed against his face like needles. Harry, Hermione and Ron were flying at 200 kilometres an hour on a black, bony Thestral. It's large bat-like  
wings flapped fast and wide and ducked and dived so unexpectedly that Harry, Ron and Hermione had to hold on tight to its leathery skin to avoid falling off the animal.

Sudden flashes of light hit the three of them from all around as they braced themselves from the barrage of razor-sharp raindrops thrashing against their faces. At first, Harry thought they were flashes of lightening. A few moments later though, realization slowly sunk in: they weren't merely caught in the middle of a thunderstorm; they were actually _bang_ in the middle of an aerial war-zone!

Several silhouettes of hooded figures could be seen flying all around the three of them: some were flying on Thestrals and on broomsticks, while some others merely chose to apparate and disapparate from one rooftop to another and attacking their enemies from the closest proximity. It was very, very difficult to tell the Death Eaters apart from the Order members in the darkness making Harry sick with worry.

The wind was whistling so loudly in their ears that they could hardly hear the screams of incantations that were zig-zagging past the trio; all they could see were red, green and white flashes of curses hitting or narrowly missing their targets. Not knowing what curses are flying all around was, clearly, making it that much more difficult for the Order members to understand what spells they were being attacked with and how to counter-attack their enemies.

 _("They're using Thestrals to fly because these creatures can't be seen by all!" yelled Harry, as realization struck him)._

 _"There she is!"_ came a muffled male voice from somewhere. " _KILL HER!_ "

A blast from the left made all three of their heads turn: Harry recognized Isabella as her hood flew over her head. She was flying on a broomstick and kept randomly spraying curses and spells in quick succession so as to avoid being hit with one herself. As luck would have it, one of her curses suddenly collided and bounded off another and sent her attacker hurtling backwards.

"PULL BACK, LYNX!" came Sirius's voice from underneath Harry, Hermione and Ron's Thestral. He was flying on a Thestral too. "THEY PLAN TO TAKE YOU OUT FIRST!" he bellowed. Harry noticed both Sirius and Isabella were sporting a black bundle that was securely tied to their fronts.

"PADFOOT, LOOK OUT!" she yelled, and sent a stunning spell at a masked Death Eater who had suddenly apparated in front of Sirius on the roof of a large house in front of them. "FOCUS, will you AND STICK. TO. THE. PLAN!" she bellowed, and conjured up an invisible shield behind her. Several Death Eaters hurtling at her crashed through the shield and got dismounted from their brooms. Isabella was clearly taking over the rescue mission's tail-end while James led the party.

Suddenly, Harry noticed someone zooming towards Isabella on a large black Thestral, ducking and diving through curses before yelling, "Whenever you're READY, LYNX!"

Isabella nodded and sounded the alarm on her pocket clock and it started to whir and flash blinding lights everywhere. Almost immediately, Harry could see several other tiny beams of lights flashing in the storm. They were scattered all around and some were really, really far above in the night-sky. Slowly, very slowly, he saw them grow bigger and realized, they were flying closer towards Isabella.

"GET READY TO ZOOM TO THE FRONT!" yelled Isabella and Lily nodded, looking extremely nervous. The flashing lights were all bundled together now and were flying as a thick pack, swivelling and ducking past dozens of curses from every angle.

Suddenly, Harry's heart started to beat fast. Some instinct told him danger was close-by. He nervously turned back and glanced over his shoulder.

His stomach jolted right out of his guts and he almost slipped off the back of the Thestral. There, behind Harry, Ron and Hermione, Death Eaters almost the size of an ARMY were swarming towards the Order members like bees led by the Lord of death himself! His lips were curved into a slight smile making him look even more malicious than ever.

"Finish it," Voldemort hissed, as he hurtled towards them at the speed of light. Harry could sense the tension building up among the Order members as they kept nervously glancing behind them and shooting orders in code words to each other. In one sweeping motion, all the Death Eaters raised their wands and rammed the Order members with curses and spells that cracked and bounded off an invisible glass orb that surrounded them.

Suddenly, Isabella screamed, "NOOOW!" jolting Harry right out of his reverie.

All of a sudden, the the tight pack started to move and juggle around, trading places with each other. Everyone was wearing black and everyone had their hoods on so that their faces were concealed. After a point, Harry lost track of who was where. The puzzling formation continued on for some more and all the Death Eaters didn't quite know whom to aim at.

And then suddenly, Harry could hear voice echo throw the storm once again. "NOOOOOOOOOW!" she cried, and right from the centre of the group, a yellow light shot up in the air. Harry saw Isabella doing wide swirling motions with her wand so that the light started to form a circular wall around the Order members. The circular movement of the light grew faster and faster until all Harry could see what a yellow ball of light and mist right ahead of him. No amount of spells or curses from the Death Eaters seemed to penetrate the tight ball of light.

"DESTROOOOOOY them!" boomed Voldemort from behind Harry, Ron and Hermione. Rae and fury seemed to consume him entirely as he yelled again through gritted teeth. "Break them APAAAART!"

Green and red jets of spells clashed against the gold dust ball.

In that instant, Harry saw the silhouette of two other wizards zooming unnoticed towards the Order members from beneath them. Yellow and white jets of light stung and sparred at the slowly disintegrating the ball of light.

More sparks, more spells, more curses.

Finally, with a whoosh of wind the light got blown away and the Order members were exposed once more. And then, just when the Death Eaters began attacking the group again, they began to separate and go in different directions. Each took a separate course and the group split in twelve different directions, thus, diluting the number of Death Eaters.

~oOo~ **_One Hour Later..._** ~oOo~

Harry, Ron and Hermione were flying alongside Sirius who was dripping wet. The storm had passed and the sky was slowly clearing away. Sirius stopped his broom in mid-air, pulled out a shard of mirror from within his robes and stared into it only to a glint of reflection of a smiling James.

"Prongs!" Sirius called out.

"We made it safely, mate!" came James's voice, who seemed to be holding a black bundle in which a tiny baby lay peacefully asleep. "The plan... it worked! Close call for the third time, eh?!" he said, rubbing his forehead.

"Oh yeah!" huffed Sirius, sounding beat. "But we beat him to it every single time!" said Sirius, grinning broadly. "Anyway, did you have issues apparating when we were inside the dust storm, James?"

"None at all!" he said. "However, Harry here did choke a little while we were apparating. Bet it's going to haunt him for life," he said with a chuckle. "Oh and, did the Prewetts join the group safely? Did the Death Eaters spot them?"

"Yeah, no, everyone was busy staring at the dust ball no one really noticed the two stealthily enter it. Hopefully not, that is," said Sirius. "Anyway, things can still go horribly wrong, so try and keep it low key, James. ... At least until we arrive there at Godric's Hollow," he said.

"I hear you, mate," he said, nodding his head. "Alright, you really need to hurry back. I'm getting worried about the baby," he said.

"Oh, don't worry about Julianne, the muggle family she's staying with for the night are a godsend! They simply adore her!" he said, smiling widely. "But yes, I do need to get back to headquarters and see if everyone's arrived safe and in one piece. See you around, James! Stay vigilant and stay safe," he said.

The images dissolved once more.


	26. Felix Felicis

**Chapter 26: Felix Felicis**

* * *

 **October 31, 1981**

WILLIAMS-BLACK RESIDENCE, DORSET  
 _05:00 PM_

Isabella was lying curled up in her bed, fast asleep. A small crib stood next to her side of the bed where little Julianne slept soundly as well. Harry thought Isabella's nose and face looked slightly swollen, giving her a sick look.

Sirius stood leaning against the door, watching the two of them with a pained expression. He hesitated at first but eventually gave in to the urge and walked silently towards his side of the bed. He threw a blanket over her and got on to the bed himself. When she stirred awake, he immediately wrapped his arms around her and _'shush-ed'_ her back to sleep.

"Go back to sleep, baby," he whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She mumbled something sleepily before jerking awake again.

"No, I was going to get up anyway," she whispered back. "It's dinner time for Julianne," she said, trying to wriggle out of Sirius's arms, but he held her tighter.

"It can wait," he said, and determinedly rested his head on the crook of her shoulder. "I need this time with you, right now," he whispered, planting little kisses throughout the length of her neck.

Isabella merely smiled. "You don't have to apologise, Sirius," she said, staring into empty space. There was so much sadness in her eyes as she said those words that it was surprising how she was still holding together. Sirius's expression changed. He closed his eyes exasperatedly and nuzzled into her neck once again before speaking up.

"Hey... Ice Princess..." he whispered, and turned her on her back so that she could see his face. He mutely stared into her sad, dead eyes before saying, "You knew I was a major _dickhead_ before you agreed to marry me, didn't you?" he said, choking a little towards the end. Isabella bit her lip to stop herself from breaking down. "Now _why_ would you take anything I say seriously, eh?" he said, rubbing her sallow face with his thumb. His lips were quivering a little as he continued.

"You're not a curse, Izzy," he said, this time positively welling up. "You must be _off your trolley_ to think that I meant that," he said, scrunching up his eyebrows as guilt and sorrow consumed him entirely. "You _know_ how much you mean to me, you _know_ how much I love you, you know _ME_ , don't you?" he said, turning her face again to make her look at him when she looked away to wipe her tears. "I'm sorry, baby, I really, _really_ am..." he said, almost pleading.

"No..." she whispered. "Sirius, you're right," she said, wringing her hands uncomfortably. "None of this would be happening, had it not been for _me_ ," she said, wiping her face miserably ( _Sirius shook his head. "Isabella, you_ nutter! _")_

"Sirius, Harry's just a _baby!_ " she said, wiping her face. "And to think there's an army of hooded _blockheads_ out there _waiting_ to get their hands on him is... You must be _daft_ out of your _brains_ to think I am in _no_ way responsible for all this!"

"Are you _listening_ to yourself?!" he yelled, but immediately quietened down looking over at Julianne's crib. "Are you honestly going to blame yourself for _all_ the _horse shit_ that's going on in the Magical world?" he whispered, sounding annoyed. Isabella frowned and fidgeted with the blanket as he stared on incredulously at her. His expression softened as he rubbed her face with his hand again. "I mean, I love you and all, but, Izzy, I honestly expected a lot more from you," he said, this time grinning a little.

She playfully slapped his bare chest with the back of her hand, as if asking him to stop teasing her and pulled the blanket over her head. Sirius grinned wider this time and pulled the sheet back down only to see her staring wide-eyed at him.

"I always knew I was dealing with _two_ babies in this house," he said, laughing lightly and pulled her face up to kiss her full on the mouth.

And just like that, the fight was over. No explanations needed, no justifications made, no questions asked. Harry was mildly surprised at the level of understanding these two shared as he watched her wrapping her hands around his neck and kissing back adoringly.

"Don't you have to leave for Order-service?" she asked, as he continued to kiss her cheek.

Sirius pouted apolgetically and nodded his head most reluctantly. "You two will be fine, without me, right?" he asked, smiling down at her.

She shook her head adamantly. When he raised his eyebrows at her though, she said, "Alright, alright! Leave before I tie you to a chair and cage you inside this house," she said, smiling back this time.

He kissed her forehead and said, "Don't burn the house down now," he said, grinning again. "The Longbottoms are dear, _dear_ friends, you know?" he teased. "Oh, and... Mother and daughter better behave and take care of each other while I'm gone, alright?" he said, rolling on top of her and wrapping his hands around her once again. "I'll be back in no time," he said, rubbing his nose against hers.

* * *

CASTLE GROUNDS, HOGWARTS  
 _06:12 PM_

Harry, Ron and Hermione were now standing on the castle grounds overlooking the magnificent ancient building in front of them. The castle was deserted and in ruins and an eerie darkness hung about the place.

It was getting dark already and Isabella stood there in the middle of the school grounds quite calmly, though seeming pretty preoccupied. Harry, however, thought Isabella looked extremely pale and her face was ridden with worry. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hair had grown thin and lifeless. Suddenly, there were voices everywhere; voices that were perhaps resounding loud in Isabella's mind…

 _You and Isabella are what are called a 'Twin Soul,' Sirius…_

 _…a curse hangs around the coming together of the Twin Souls which would ultimately destroy all of Magic!_

 _She must die for all of us to live… For Magic to go on…  
There isn't any other way…_

 _She has to be KILLED… For Magic to go on…_

 _There isn't any other way… ANY other way…_

 _The Ministry wants to assassinate her to prevent her from sacrificing her life…_

 _For Magic to go on… There isn't any other way…_

 _This is a far darker side…_

 _…destiny would correct the course of history…_

 _…the unborn Warrior would return to the past!  
…rewrite History once more… _

_Isabella has to die… For Magic to go on…_

 _Isabellaaa…_

 _There isn't any other waaay…_

"NO! NOOO!" screamed, Isabella. "Isabella, CONCENTRATE! THINK, Izzy, _think_!" she screamed at herself. She looked down at the locket around her neck.

 _…do NOT reveal this to anyone until the time is right!_

 _The locket… It has to be destroyed, Izzy!_

 _Make sure it is destroyed before the Dark Lord's rise!_

 _Help is coming to us… From the future, Remus…_

 _The sword has returned to our present… Basilisk venom…_

 _The sword has been transported back in time for a reason…_

 _…there's been a mistake…  
…the curse of Mávros would still not be broken…_

 _…to eternally conquer Dark Magic, that locket must be destroyed by the Dark Lord himself…_

 _Isabella has to die… There isn't any other way…_

 _Time, can change everything, my dear… Time will change everything, Isabella…_

 _Time… Time is everything…_

A fat tear ran down Isabella's cheek. "There's no other way…?" she whispered to herself. "Does it _have_ to be this way…?"

She looked down at the locket around her neck. Harry could see the contents in the locket swirling, as if it could sense danger. Harry's heart started to pump faster as he understood what Isabella was about to do. He didn't realize he was holding on to Ron's shoulder for support as he saw the past pan out right in front of his eyes.

Suddenly, she put her hand into her robes as if remembering something important. Harry, Ron and Hermione noticed that she was holding a tiny pink phial that Sirius had given to her in their fourth year. She slowly uncorked it and without another thought, gulped it all down in one go. A moment passed. Slowly, very slowly, her face seemed to brighten and she all of a sudden seemed to brim with newfound confidence and positivity.

She looked to her left and saw a faint light ensuing from the single window in Hagrid's cottage.

* * *

HAGRID'S COTTAGE, HOGWARTS  
 _06:17 PM_

"Mrs Black?!" bellowed Hagrid. His voice echoed loudly through the castle grounds. He hurriedly beckoned her inside his little cottage-house.

Once the door was shut behind them Hagrid stared down at Isabella with disbelieving eyes. "Wh-wh-what are ye DOIN' 'ere?! _How did ye ge' out?_ _Very_ clear instructions Dumbledore'd sen' out! You's _not_ to be spotted anywhere outside! If the Ministry o' anyone else spots ye…"

"Hagrid please, I'm only here to see you," she said, silencing him at once. "I need your help with something," she said. "I can't trust anyone else with this task but you, so please, hear me out! It's about Julianne, my daughter…"

Hagrid's face changed. He seemed to be touched and moved by the fact that anyone would trust a half-giant with their baby; a man that was once accused of murder of a school girl. "Anythin' Mrs Black," he said, albeit sounding worried.

" _Isabella_ , please" she said. "Hagrid, listen, Julianne is currently with Claiborne but she's not safe there. Something's about to happen tonight and I have a feeling Claiborne may be ambushed! Julianne's life could be in danger and… and I can't take a chance with her! Hagrid, I have some unfinished business here that I _have_ to take care of and I need _you_ to look after my daughter! I want you to take her to this place... It's a safe-house. Some place the Death Eaters _or_ the Ministry won't look in. Look, here's the address," she said, and handed him a rolled parchment. "A muggle family resides here. The lady's name is Lisa ( _"LISA?" said Hermione, looking rather puzzled_ ) and the family knows me quite well, so you won't really have much trouble explaining yourself. Also," she added, pulling out another bigger `roll of parchment out of her robes and said, "Please slip this note inside one of Julianne's pockets?"

Hagrid looked down at the parchments and went a bit pale in the face.

"Hagrid, we don't have much time. Can I trust you on this?" she asked, the sense of urgency rising with every syllable she spoke.

He glanced up at her and nodded curtly. "O' course," he said.

"Thank you!" she said, as a sense of relief washed over her face. "You can use Sirius's motorbike, you know?" she said, smiling warmly. "It would be large enough to fit you and will help you to get to places faster too."

"Are ye goin' to be okay, though, Is'bell'uh?" he asked.

"Yes… Hopefully," she said, not at all sounding convinced herself. "Oh, and, Hagrid, I want you to promise that you will always watch over Harry and Julianne for me. I don't want you to _ever_ lose them out of your sight!"

"Yes, ma'am. Always…" he said.

* * *

GORGON HILL, HOGSMEADE  
 _6:35 PM_

The sun had almost set over the horizon and darkness was falling fast. It looked like it's going to be a full-moon night and, the lone silhouette of a tall, old wizard could be seen standing on the edge of the cliff.

 _Crack!_

The man hardly looked up and continued to stare into the night.

"What brings you here tonight, Severus?" he said. Harry could feel a fire burning inside Dumbledore as he spoke. The cold tone that he took with Snape seemed to make even _Harry_ shudder and squirm uncomfotably.

Snape looked up the tall figure of Dumbledore and seemed to double back in fear. He was panting and choking like he'd run a marathon of some sort. Dumbledore's robes fluttered and whipped around in the wind as he patiently waited for Snape to collect himself.

"Dumbledore, I… I…" Snape was struggling to find the right words to express all that he was going through right now.

"Well, Severus?" said Dumbledore. "What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?" he asked, his voice cold as ice.

"No message – I… I come with a warning – no, a request – please – I"

"What request could a Death Eater make of me?"

"The prophecy! Trelawny's prophecy! Dumbledore, he thinks it's Lily! Lily Evans!"

"The prophecy spoke of a _boy_ being born at the end of July, it did not refer to a woman…"

"Oh! You know what I mean! He thinks it's her son! He is going after them now! Hunt them down and kill them all! Dumbledore please, help me! Save her! Keep her away from harm, please!"

"You disgust me," said Dumbledore. Harry had never heard such contempt in his voice. "You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?"

"Hide them all, then! Keep them safe! I will give you anything you want… Please make sure nothing happens to her though, please!" he begged. "Please, Dumbledore!"

( _Hermione, who was witnessing this scene for the first time, seemed to be moved to tears_ ).

"What would you give me in return, Severus?"

"Anything," he said again.

* * *

SPARROW'S NEST, LAMBOURNE  
Claiborne's Residence  
 _6:35 PM_

Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing in Claiborne's living room. The sounds of young Julianne playing with her enchanted bear could be heard from the room a little ahead. And, just as Claiborne walked out of the kitchen holding a bottle of warm milk, there was a sharp knock on the door. Puzzled, she walked over to the window and peeped out.

The sight that welcomed her, however, seemed to throw her off balance as she jerked backwards and dropped the bottle of milk which went crashing to the floor.

" _REMUS?!_ " she yelled. All the blood seemed to drain from her face as she stared back at the scarred face of the man she had once loved. At first, she was unsure if she should let him in; her eyes kept darting back and forth from the room to the window. After a moment's battle with herself, she rushed to the door and yanked it open.

Remus stood there, ragged and beaten. His face was scarred and beyond recognition and his robes were ripped and untidy. He seemed to have lost oodles of weight and found it difficult to even stand up right.

"Remus, what are you _doing_ here?!" she yelled. "And what on earth has _happened_ to you?! Remus… Remus!" she said and rushed forward to stop his fall. Remus seemed to hardly have any energy for anything. He looked famished and in a lot of pain. "Oh, you poor thing…" she muttered under her breath as she held him and led him in.

Almost as soon as he was seated on the warm, comfortable couch, Remus grabbed her hand and stuttered, "Clay, we don't have time! We... We... They..."

Claiborne glanced nervously at Julianne's room before turning her attention back to Remus.

"Remus, darling, you're too weak, please just rest for a second!" she said, as she hurriedly brought him a bar of chocolate. "God, look at you... you look _terrible!_ " she said, blinking back tears. "I should _never_ have left you alone..." she choked, while fondly stroking the side of his face.

Remus's eyes seemed to get foggy as he heard those words slip out of Claiborne's lips, and for a split second, seemed to forget the urgent mission he was on currently. "One day, my love," he whispered, not taking his eyes off her face even for a split-second. "One day, when all this is over... I'll come knocking on your door one more time..." he said, as she blinked back tears of happiness, "...and never leave..." he continued. "I'll come back to find _my_ 'happily-ever-after' with you..." he said, kissing her hand that was still lovingly stroking his face, as she broke down entirely.

"Good. Because if you don't," she said, wiping her face and sniffing loudly, "I plan on hunting you down and feeding you to hungry Acramantulas!" she said, a smile tugging at the end of her lips. When he tearfully nodded, her expression changed once more. "Remus, its painful to look at you... Whatever _happened_ to you?!" she asked, gently pushing a strand of hair away from his eyes.

It looked like a fuse went off in Remus's brain one more time, because he seemed to snap back to reality and looked panic-stricken once again. "It doesn't matter!" he said, munching hungrily on the bar of chocolate. "We don't have time, Clay, please help me. We need to get moving!"

"No! Remus, we're not going _anywhere_ until you're better! I won't allow it..."

"Clay, you don't _understand_! They're in grave danger!" he said, grabbing her by her hands and staring wide into her eyes. "They're… Danger… They don't have time! _We need to help them…!_ "

"What's going on? Remus, you're scaring me! Who's in danger?" she asked, panic-stricken.

"James and Lily!" said Remus, ducking his head tearfully. "Voldemort's after them! After their son! _Right now!_ He's hunting them down even as we speak!" he said, and dropped his head in his hands. "We've got to help them, Clay!" he said, wiping his face. "I don't know where they are or who's keeping them safe but I… I can't just sit here and… and… Sirius wouldn't let me anywhere NEAR them! Nobody trusts me because… because…" he said, looking up at her face. Tears streamed down like rivulets on his face. "Because I'm a… a Werewolf…?"

Claiborne looked absolutely torn at this point. "Remus… No…"

"Clay, do _you_ trust me?" he asked, albeit knowing quite well what the answer is. The revelation seemed to break him even more as he stared back resignedly at her.

"Of course I do, Remus, but that's not important right now," she said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "The important thing is, however, how do you know about this…?"

"Peter…" he said, in a small voice. "Peter has been the mole, Clay… All this time… It was him, he's double-crossed us! I saw the mark on his hand… Clay Peter's the spy that has been sending them information ALL YEAR!"

"WHAT?! NO! That's absolutely _MENTAL_! I mean, PETER?! Do you have _any_ idea the number of sacrifices he's DONE for the Potters?! How could you possibly _say_ something like that, EVER, Remus?!" she bellowed. Suddenly, the wailing of a little girl could be heard from next door. "Julianne!" she gasped and hurried inside the room, closely followed by Remus. "There you are, my little princess!" she said, picking the little girl up. "There, there, there's no need to cry, I'm right here, baby," she said, soothingly. "Remus, I think you better leave!" she shot back. "You can't say just ANYTHING that comes to your head! What are you trying to do, get me to trust you by LYING about others? How can you LIVE with yourself, Remus!"

"Clay, please, this is not about you or me, this is about THEM! _James and Lily!_ Would you PLEASE, just this once, take my word on this, Clay, please?" he begged.

The window was open; a gust of wind blew inside making the curtain ruffle in the air. Neither Claiborne nor Remus had realized it was nearly night-time now and that, moonlight had started to creep into the room. A look of absolute horror struck Remus's face as he realized what a FOOL he'd been!

"Oh my god… Oh MY GOD… Clay, leave! Apparate NOW! Go somewhere, anywhere…!" he yelled. His heart started to beat faster as little drops of sweat burst through his skin. His face was growing paler and paler as he was slowly starting to lose himself.

Claiborne screamed as she realized what was happening: her _worst_ fears were coming true! She hugged the baby tightly in her hands and started to edge away from Remus as Julianne started to cry and wail, gripped with fear.

"Clay, leave… LEEEAVE!" he managed to let out. "Claiborne… I'm sorry… I… I love you more than life…" he said, tears gushing from his eyes. "Clay… Please… Le… Lea… L…" But Claiborne seemed to be paralyzed with shock and didn't seem to be able to move her body. She was shaking uncontrollably as fear engulfed her.

Remus's body had started to writhe and convulse painfully. Without thinking, he turned around and started to run as far away from Claiborne and the baby as he could. Several tea pots and dishes crashed to the floor as he tried to navigate through the living room. Suddenly, large claws broke out of his knuckles and great tufts of hair pierced through his skin. His face was no longer small and sallow but large and grey.

Harry, Ron and Hermione held on to each other for dear life as they witnessed the man turn into a Werewolf one more time in closer proximity this time than they had in their third year at Hogwarts. Remus grew and grew until he was at least 7 feet tall. Teeth as sharp as pincers and claws the size of average kitchen knives sprouted out of nowhere. With another ear-splitting crack, the transformation was complete. A fully grown Werewolf now stood right in front of them. Hermione looked like she'd faint any second!

Mean, savage eyes surveyed the house for a split second, when all of sudden, its sharp nose caught up on a scent. Predictably, and in merely two strides, the Werewolf turned around made its way into the bedroom. There, transfixed to the wall stood Claiborne and Julianne. Claiborne had tightly wrapped her hand around the baby's mouth in an attempt to muffle her sounds.

Without warning, a blood-chilling howl went up in the air that seemed to thunder through the walls. Harry thought he could hear glasses clinking with the vibration.

"Remus… Remus… It's me… Claiborne…" she said. Unfortunately, what she did not realize was that Remus hadn't eaten in _weeks._ Remus hadn't had supply of the antidote for a whole _two years_ which had made the transformations that much more painful. What she didn't realize was even if there may have been a _tinge_ of Remus left in that large body, he couldn't have helped what happened next, ever…

( _"No! Nooo!" yelled Ron. He had wrapped himself tightly around Hermione and Harry and couldn't seem to watch the bloody sight that was about to pan out right in front of him_ ).

Harry realized Claiborne's wand was nowhere near her and there was no way she could apparate or even defend herself without it. Panic and fear shot up through his spine and he watched on helplessly.

"R-r-r… Remus…" said, Claiborne as soon as the wolf stopped howling. "Remus, it's me… Claiborne… Please… Please don't hurt me…" she said, quite unable to breathe. She tugged the baby behind her and put herself in between the baby and the Werewolf.

Whatever took place in the next two minutes was something Harry was sure he, Ron _or_ Hermione were NEVER going to recover from _for the rest of their lives_. Everything happened so quickly that it was all over in the blink of eye: before Claiborne could have even moved, before she could have even known what was coming for her, the giant animal had pounced on her, battled her to the ground, and started to mercilessly feed on the flesh of its prey. The air was filled with the insufferable noises of a prey fighting for its life before a loud scream thundered around the room. She was gone in a flash. ( _"Ron, please! Make it STOP!"_ _wailed Hermione as she dug her face into his shoulder)._

Blood splattered the walls and the floor as the large animal gorged on the flesh.

Julianne was covered in blood as she wailed and wailed and wailed… tiny, alone and fearful. This night was starting to seem very long… Harry was starting to feel giddy with repugnance and despondence and had had enough for the night. _That's it_ , he thought to himself and was about to give up all hope when…

A blast was heard from the entrance. A roar of a MASSIVE motorbike thundered through the air. A second later, a second blast was heard and this time, the front door was busted and the walls of the living room splintered away.

"JULIANNE!" came the roar of hope. ( _Hermione clutched herself tightly as tears of happiness rushed down from her eyes._ _"Harry! ROOON! It's Hagrid! Hagrid's HERE! HAGRID'S HERE!" she wailed. Ron tearfully nodded at her reassuringly and hugged her tight_ ).

Hagrid thundered through the house with his pink umbrella ready to blast anything to pieces if it so much as BREATHED on little Julianne. Hagrid ran to the room and stood on the doorway, quite taken by the scene.

The Werewolf looked up and gnarled its teeth at the half-giant. At first Hagrid was thrown at the sight that awaited him in the room. Little Julianne had crawled to the other end of the room and continued to wail and scream in fear. The Werewolf let out a low growl trying to threaten Hagrid away but Hagrid seemed to have no time to play games.

"Oh no, ye DON'T!" he bellowed and, without looking, without even thinking, he started sending out blast after blast at the animal. BLAST! BLAST! BLAAAST! The umbrella just kept shooting and shooting. "TAKE THAT, ye big HAIRY ANIMAL!" he bellowed.

More blasts, more sparks, more booms! The Werewolf howled and writhed in pain and, before Hagrid opened his eyes to see what had happened, the Werewolf had burst through the already crumbling walls and into the woods…

A defeaning sound ensued when the entire right-hand side of the house came collapsing to the floor. And then all of a sudden, silence prevailed. Hagrid slowly opened his eyes and surveyed the room, quite unsure if he'd won the battle or not (he hadn't opened his eyes for a second during the rain the blasts). He looked around and found little Julianne sitting in a corner, shaking with fear. His face immediately broke into a warm smile.

"There, there, me li'l angel," he said, gently picking her up. "Ye, don't 'ave to worry now that I'm 'ere," he said, slowly wiping off her tears with his fingers as big as the baby itself. Julianne somehow seemed to relax in Hagrid's hands, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Le's go home, now shall we, li'l one?" he said, stroking her softly and she instantly fell asleep.


	27. Sands of Time

**Chapter 27: Sands of Time...**

* * *

October 31, 1981

MALFOY MANOR, WILTSHIRE  
Headquarters of the Death Eaters  
 _07.38 PM_

 _"...reports of a blast have reached us from Lambourne mere minutes ago. It is said that the house came crumbling down under extremely mysterious circumstances..."_ the radio crackled. Puzzled, Sirius looked up.

He was sitting in a dimly lit room that overlooked the palatial house of the Malfoys. An initial glance at the room suggested that Sirius had been staying in and out of this dingy, deserted house for at least a week now.

 _"...what is so mysterious is that there were no signs of an explosion. The police have also reported that the cause of the blasts is still unknown..."_ Sirius's stomach gave an uneasy jolt. He turned up the volume of the transistor.

 _"...no gas leak, no short circuit of wires or anything on those lines. All other possible causes for such an event have been ruled out too. Further reports from witnesses seem to suggest that the blasts were made by a rather large and burly man with a peculiar gadget that looked like an umbrella..."_ Sirius had to literally cover his mouth to keep himself from screaming.

 _"...the mysteries seem to deepen further when one witness from the woods reported that he spotted a rather massive animal that looked like a dog or a wolf disappearing behind a rock..."_

"Remus?!" said Sirius, glaring disbelievingly at the old transistor. "Oh my god, what have you done this time..." he said to himself and, Harry thought, Sirius himself couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. "Remus...?" he whispered.

Suddenly, he pulled out the shard of mirror. "James! James, where are you?" he asked. At first, there was no sight of James in the reflection and, just as Harry's stomach started to tighten with fear, he saw movement in the mirror.

"Sirius!" he said. "What's happened?! Are the Death Eaters on the move?!" came the worried voice of James.

"No, no James the Death Eaters have not even so much as _blinked_ since I got here, but look something else is up!" he said. "I was just listening in on the transistor, Muggle radio, and I heard of reports of blasts in Lambourne. Muggle authorities seem to have no idea what's caused these blasts! It gets worse. People have spotted Hagrid and a Werewolf in the vicinity!" he yelled, quite unable to contain his anxiety. "James, I'd be lying if I said I am not worried. I think Remus is in trouble, mate!" he said, breathing heavily.

" _Remus?!_ What in the wide world was Remus doing in Lambo... Hang on... Oh no, he did _not_!" said James, sounding aghast. " _Mate, I think he'd gone to pay Claiborne a visit! She lives in Lambourne!_ " he yelled. "There can't be any other explanation to this!" he bellowed.

Sirius suddenly looked gripped with fear. "James, there are reports of an entire house crumbling down... She could be hurt! I have to go! I have to make sure she's okay!" he said with shaky hands. "Oh and about Remus... Do you reckon he's okay?" he asked, his voice dripping with concern and fear.

"I wish I had an answer, mate..." said James, sounding equally terrified. "You should go. Make sure you find him and get him to safety!" he said. "And Sirius, please be very, _very_ careful... We can't do this without you," he said.

"Of course! Don't worry about me," he said. "Just, keep your eyes open and make sure you report anything suspicious... Oh and, do check up on Izzy for me?" he said. "Has been awfully quiet, that one," he said, sounding worried. "Said she's bunking in with the Longbottoms, but I have a funny feeling about it."

"Of course, of course! Go on then!" said James and the two signed off. Once alone, Sirius looked around at Malfoy Manor one more time and since there still was no movement there, he quickly turned on the spot and disapparated almost instantly. Funnily enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't disapparate with Sirius like they usually did. Instead they continued to stand alone in the dingy, dimly-lit room.

Harry instantly knew something was up. He walked over to the window and peered out at the ghostly-looking mansion in front of them and knew why. Just as he had predicted, a split-second later, the front doors flew open and out walked several hooded figures. Something about their strut seemed to suggest that they were on a mission. A moment's pause later, the whole bunch started dispparating in thick black clouds of smoke.

( _"Had he just waited for TWO MORE minutes he would've seen them leave..." he said, through gritted teeth. "Wonder what consequences this is bound to cause..." he said, rubbing his forehead feeling frustrated)._

POTTERS' COTTAGE, GODRIC'S HOLLOW  
 _7:43 PM_

James was kneeling down the fireplace and setting it up for a quick peek into the Longbottoms' house. "Wonder where everyone is," he muttered to himself as he lined the wood. "Lily check up on Peter's whereabouts while I quickly Floo the Longbottoms!" he called out. A second later, the fire got crackling and in went the green dust.

"Hey there, James!" said Frank, sounding particularly cheerful. There were four heads sticking up in Frank's fireplace: Harry, Ron, Hermione and James's. "Little Neville here _just_ said his first words!" he said, gleefully. "If only the world was a more cheerful place right now, eh, mate?" he said, referring the war-ridden times.

"You read my mind," he said, dully. "Anyway, Frank I just wanted to know how the girls were doing. Is everything okay back there? Anything strange or suspicious?" he asked.

"Girls? Who girls? Alice is upstairs with Neville. There's nobody else here, mate," he said. Slowly his face changed. In that instant he knew something was wrong. James seemed to reflect Frank's feelings too as they continued to gape at each other. "What's going on, James? What's the matter...?"

"Frank, where's Isabella?" he asked, horror-struck. "Sirius thinks she's there with you!" he yelled.

"Izzy?! She was supposed to be with US?! What in the world are you _talking_ about, James?" he asked. "Why was she supposed to be _here_?!"

" _Because_ Sirius was going to watch the Malfoy Manor and she had to be some place safe! And that was with YOU TWO!" he bellowed. "Oh, Frank, what in the _bloody_ hell is going on?!" he asked, sounding absolutely frustrated. "You know what, let me talk to Sirius about this, mate. See you around," he said and quickly removed his head.

~oO

CLOCK TOWER, HOGWARTS  
 _7:46 PM_

Isabella was standing in front of the giant clock once again. Something about her had changed. It seemed like she had hardened a bit; she seemed fiercer and stronger than ever before.

The bright moonlight hit Isabella's face as she continued to stand there, as if waiting for someone.

 _Crack!_

Her stomach squirmed uncomfortably at his arrival. Gulping down her fear, she slowly turned around and looked straight into the face of a very satisfied-looking Lucius Malfoy. And sure enough, there he was, looking down upon her with a look of pure disdain.

"You know, you're _really_ not that daunting to look at, Lucius?" she said, with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, we're still on first-name basis, I see," he sneered sarcastically, and continued to look at her through the bridge of his nose.

" _Always_ ," she simply said. "You'll always be _Lucius_ , the only person closest to being my friend here at Hogwarts... How's cousin 'Cissa doing?"

" _Williams..._ " he began impatiently.

" _Black_ , actually," she corrected him.

" _Technicalities..._ " he fumed uninterestedly. "Get on with it, then," he continued on in a forcedly calm voice. "Why am I here?" Perhaps, he hated himself for suddenly going all civil on Isabella because a second later, he found it necessary to say, "Just to make myself absolutely clear, though, I don't generally have the habit of _'showing up'_ in dingy shacks every time I am summoned by a doltish, worthless _hagwhore..._ "

"But you're here all the same, aren't you?" she retorted, without letting him finish.

Lucius's pride seemed to explode and consume him entirely so much so that, he literally had to clench his fist to stop himself from slapping her right across the face.

"Start talking, Williams, before my patience runs out..." he said, still refusing to address her by her surname. "What makes you want to see me _now_? What could you possibly want from me after _all these years_?"

"I wanted to talk you..."

"There are owls for that."

"It's important, Lucius..."

He scoffed. "I highly doubt that," he said, smirking loftily.

" _Stop it_ ," Isabella shot back, crumbling under exasperation. "Could you at least PRETEND to be interested in what I have to say for Merlin's sake?! I wouldn't summon you this way in the dead of the night for nothing, Lucius, so please! Spare me the trash-talk just this once...?"

Her large eyes bore into Lucius's, begging him for an audience, and almost instantly, the mood on the tower seemed to change dramatically. Suddenly, his demeanor bore no sign of hatred or loathing for her anymore. In fact, he seemed more helpless and seething in years' worth of pain more than anything else.

"I must say though, the effect that you're having on me is... _remarkable_..." he fumed. "It's taken me several _years_ to convince myself to move on and a lead a life without you in it, numbing myself in the process..." he said, without a single flicker of the eye. "Turns out numbing the pain only makes it that much more painful when you finally feel it..." he said and paused to grace her with a curious look.

Guilt and regret stabbed her at the very core as those words rang in her ears. Fighting back tears, she tried to shake off the feeling of sympathy that her eyes bred for the man that stood before her; the man who wad putting up a brave façade when, in reality, is actually dying on the inside.

"It's quite flattering, honestly..." Isabella began, keeping her voice as steady as possible, "...to be fancied like that... Knowing that a person of your demeanor did, at some point, want to be with the likes of _me_..."

" _Still do..._ "

It was less than a whisper. In fact, if one weren't paying attention, it might as well have been a mere sigh. But the words were out and Isabella had heard it too...

A brief moment passed when neither said anything. Staring into his dead eyes, she opened her mouth to say something but didn't seem to find the right words just yet; in fact, she couldn't think of a single sane thing that she could possibly say that would somehow make him feel any better in this regard. And even as they stood there mutely staring at each other, the silence was getting far too intense and uncomfortable for Isabella to bear any longer.

"Lucius, I'm sorry," she finally spoke. "I wasn't there for you when you needed a friend the most, I know..." she said, making him exasperatedly turn his back on her. Dazed by the rush of emotions, Lucius literally had to lean against the stone hedge to keep himself steady, whilst fighting the painful lump in his throat. "But you must know that, I truly did love Sirius more than life... He's a good man," she whispered. She knew that it must have felt like an arrow to his head, because even though he had his back to her, the sadness and shock that coursed through his body was more than evident. "P-Perhaps in another life, we'd stand a chance... hopefully..." she said.

"Why did you want to see me, Bella?" he cut in, obviously not wanting her to say anything further.

Breathing a sigh of relief she collected herself once more. "I needed your help with something, Lucius... I..." she hesitated a bit before straightening up, "I need you to summon your Master," she said, making him look at her confusedly. "I know you're one of them now..." she continued and he slowly started to realise she, indeed, was serious. Shock and disbelief slowly descended on him. "I know you're a Death Eater now. And I need you to bring him to me tonight... I have something that belongs to him..."

"Bella!" he gasped and grasped by her hands. "What are you about to do?" he whispered more out of concern than anger.

"I am turning myself in to him, Lucius. It's the _only_ way..." she said, determination pouring from her eyes. "I told you before I have something that belongs to him," she said, as he continued to gawk at her, dripping with worry. "Do you recognize this?" she said, and unbuttoned her collar: Harry's jaw dropped. Just below her collar bone, Harry could see the locket burning and merging with her very skin!

Lucius's eyes widened. He immediately let go of her like he'd been electrocuted and stared disbelievingly at the locket. "No. NO! NOOO! You're lying, you can't POSSIBLY have the Dark Lord's _Horcrux_?!"

"So that's what it's called, eh? A _Horcrux_?" she said, raising her eyebrow in amusement. "Lucius, this needs to be destroyed... This locket here is the darkest piece of magical jewel ever to grace the wizarding world. It must be destroyed by the Dark Lord himself..." she pleaded. "Summon him, Lucius! Now! If he kills me, he destroys the locket _with me_! When I die, the Curse of the Twin Souls gets lifted and this piece of magic would die with me forever... The world wouldn't have to worry about anything else going forward..." she said, gripping his hands. "Lucius, are you _listening_?!"

But he seemed to have become paralyzed with shock.

"Lucius, summon him. Now... Time is running out..."

"You can't just SUMMON the Dark Lord!" he finally jerks back to reality. "You think he's some sort of blooming _highfalutin_ who'd just _appear_ in front of Your Majesty?" he spat, this time hinting a bit of arrogance and incredulity in his tone.

"He will if I told him I have a found a way to _destroy_ the locket myself..." she said, glaring back at him. And, just as she said those words, a faint sound as that of silver scraping through another metal could be heard, marking the arrival of the Sword of Gryffindor...

Lucius frantically looked around trying to understand what it was and realized there was a tattered-looking hat lying on the stone floor right next to Isabella. Isabella picked the hat and swiftly pulled out the sword and turned it in her hand with a look of confidence that threw even Harry: tonight, a true warrior was born.

"The Sword of Gryffindor," she announced. "It's returned to us from the future after getting impregnated by Basilisk venom... The most powerful catalyst of destruction..."

He simply stared back at her, as if trying to decode the riddle in her words. "What game are you playing tonight, Bella...?" he said, looking aghast at her. "You can't win this war single-handedly, if that's what you're planning..." he said. "He would NEVER answer to mortal recluses such as ourselves..."

"He WILL, if I threaten to drive this sword through my heart!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione's eyes flew open. Isabella's plan was finally becoming clear to them: she was here to die. She was going to either take her own life or _be_ murdered! However, if she got murdered by Voldemort himself, the curse of the locket would finally end, because killing her means destroying the locket as well. Either way, the Horcrux gets destroyed and, Regulus's dying wish gets fulfilled.

"Tonight, I am not afraid of death, Lucius..." she said, her voice seething with rage, malice and power. Harry suddenly realized just how powerful one could get if they simply dropped their fear of Death. Ironically, it was Isabella now, and NOT Voldemort, who was truly INVINCIBLE...

"Bella, it's not _worth_ it!" he said, shaking her vigorously as if trying to joggle her awake. " _Don't_ do this, don't be this STUPID!" he yelled tearfully. "Darling, listen to me," he pleaded whilst delicately holding her face. "Bella, your life is _precious_..." he whispered, touching her cheek with the tips of his fingers, his eyes oozing with _unimaginable_ love for her. "I can't see you give it up for something as pointless as this war, _I won't allow it_! Please..." he begged.

"It's too late now, Lue, I _have_ to do this to..."

"NO, You _really_ DON'T! This is absolute _madness_..."

"This is the only way, Lucius!" she yelled.

"What makes you think I would let you do this?!"

"What makes you think the decision is _yours_?" she asked, and before he could say or do anything else slapped his right thumb on his dark mark until seethed and burned his skin. Lucius's eyes widened as he gawked at her in shock.

"What have you done, Bella...?"

Suddenly, there was a lot scurrying. Harry could hear a lot of nails scratching against the walls and footsteps echoing through the corridors several floors below. Almost instinctively she thrust the sword back into the Hat and threw it down a corner.

The weather got extremely chilly all of a sudden and the wind made the onlookers' robes flap and whip. Fear gripped Harry as he anticipated yet another danger round the corner.

And, just when the suspense got too much for Harry to handle, the door to the balcony flew open and a dozen official-looking Ministry personnel burst out on to the balcony. From behind Isabella and Lucius, several thick, black clouds started whizzing and shooting up in the air before landing on the wide circular balcony. Isabella was soon surrounded by at least thirty Death Eaters on one side and a whole army of Aurors on the other. Perplexed, she looked around, not quite understanding what's going on.

"Confused...?" came a slow leer from behind Isabella.

"Good work, Lucius," said a voice. Horror-struck, Isabella turned around and saw a face appear from amidst the group of Aurors: it was the _Minister for Magic,_ Millicent Bagnold! Harry, Ron and Hermione's jaws dropped. _WHAT in the WORLD is going on?!_

"What the bloody hell is going on here?!" shrieked Isabella, looking shocked and looked at Lucius for answers. "Is the _Ministry_ teaming up with _Death Eaters_ now?!" she yelled. The savage-looking Death Eaters roared and cackled all around her. They were clearly enjoying themselves.

Bagnold stared coldly at Isabella. "Yes, the Ministry IS," she said, not bothering to sugar-coat anything. "The Ministry _IS_ indeed teaming up with the Death Eaters... _to bring you down_!" she said, mirthlessly.

"I think you're going the wrong way, Minister Bagnold," retorted Isabella, coldly. "I'm not the one that's supposed to be getting all this attention..."

"I beg to differ," she cut across. "You see, Isabella, you're a _CURSE_ upon the land of Magic..." she said. "Your very _existence_ is a threat to Magic's future and, since the Ministry's Auror Force," she said, giving them all a dirty look, "is beyond INCOMPETENT to defeat and kill _one silly girl_ and, also because the Death Eaters want the same too of you, we decided to... join the forces. _Get you out of the equation_..." she hissed.

Harry, Ron and Hermione simply stood there, stunned and beyond shocked to even exchange glances of horror at each other.

Isabella had a blank expression on her face while Lucius looked like he would pass out any second. She looked at Lucius through disbelieving eyes and muttered, " _You knew about this?_ "

He stared blankly at her looking equally stunned too before shaking his head most sincerely. She blinked back tears and was about to say something really nasty to Bagnold, but Malfoy stopped her by grabbing hold of her hand and giving it a little squeeze.

"You are _nothing_..." Bagnold continued, with a scorn. "The death of ONE person doesn't really count for _anything_..." she said, "And today, you're going to be assassinated..." she whispered.

Lucius immediately pulled her close to him and stepped in front of her, while all Isabella could do was wonder if she had heard it right. She had not expected this at all. She was ambushed and tricked and now, Lucius could be in deep trouble too. If they searched his memories, the conversation that transpired on the balcony mere minutes ago would be exposed and the feeling of complete resignation slowly started to creep in... Unless...

Harry suddenly noticed her wand hand was not in the front anymore, it was behind her. It was moving very fast in tight squiggly motions and, unbeknownst to others, a silver light emerged from the tip.

Isabella smirked and continued to speak in an attempt to keep their attention on her. "Master-stroke," she concluded, smiling coldly at Bagnold. "What a way to prove to the world that the Ministry INDEED was doing _everything_ in its power to safeguard the community at large, eh?" she said.

The silver light moved up to Lucius's head and several tiny strands of memories started oozing out of his head.

"How though, did you manage to convince the entire Auror Force, _Minister_?"

"Well, the Imperius Curse, of course!" said Bagnold and all of the Death Eaters thumped and knocked the walls in agreement.

"This is _not_ going to remain a secret for too long, you know," said Isabella, trembling slightly.

"Not if no one _remembers_ you, that is," smiled Bagnold. "We have thought of EVERYTHING, you see..." she said smiling wickedly.

Isabella nodded her head with a look of genuine appreciation. "Check and Mate," she said, sarcastically. "But see, you didn't think you could bring down _The Resistance_ that easily now, did you?" she said, hardening up once more. "If you thought I would bow down that easily," she said, grabbing all of Lucius's memories out, "You were DEAD wrong!" she screamed and without warning sent out an ear-splitting Blasting Spell at the stone floor that seemed to make the very tower shake and tremble. Several Death Eaters were thrown off the edge of the balcony and the ceiling at the entrance came crashing down injuring several Aurors.

"KREACHER!" she screamed, as she conjured up a protective igloo around her in mere seconds. Death Eaters and Aurors from every direction hammered her with spells and curses. Several red and green lights ricocheted off the glass orb while Harry saw her yanking at the locket, trying to rip it off her skin. The force of the curses from so many different wands was too much for Isabella's Magic. She was crumbling and in pain as the shield around her slowly started to disintegrate. The stone floor was no starting to give away as the tower itself was crumbling from below.

 _POP!_

Amidst all the confusion, no one noticed a tiny House Elf apparate out of nowhere. Isabella found an opportunity to tug at his hand and yelled, "Keep this safe, Kreacher! GO!"

Another _POP!_ and the House Elf disappeared.

~oO

POTTERS' COTTAGE, GODRIC'S HOLLOW  
 _09:30 PM_

"What in the _world_ is Sirius upto?!" said a frustrated James to Lily. A 1-year old version of Harry sat on her lap. "Why isn't ANYONE where they're SUPPOSED to be?"

Lily smiled and took his hand in hers. "Would you relax just a little?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him. "Have faith in your friends, James. They're all _very_ powerful wizards and witches, they _can_ and _will_ take care of themselves," said Lily. James gave her a sidelong look and nodded, as if to say, she was right, that he needn't worry so much.

The fireplace suddenly lit up with a _Pop!_

"Mate, any sign of Sirius or Isabella or Peter?" asked Frank's head in James's fireplace.

"No account on any of them, Frank."

~oO

GRANGERS' RESIDENCE, TEST VALLEY, HAMPSHIRE  
 _09:32 PM_

Harry's eyes widened with shock. All the blood drained from his face as he stared at the name plate on the door. He nervously turned his head just a little and looked over at Ron who looked just as gobsmacked as he was right now. Both of them seemed to have absolutely NO courage whatsoever to even wonder what Hermione was going through at the moment.

Hagrid stood there with his pink umbrella on one hand and a little toddler on the other. The house that he was staring at was a large, yet comfortable-looking mansion.

Harry realized his mouth had gone dry when the front door opened and a kind-looking woman in her early thirties opened the door. She was tiny in comparison to Hagrid's massive frame. The weight of the revelation that Harry was having right now literally seemed to knock him off his feet. He unconsciously took Hermione's hand in his.

"Mrs Lisa Granger...?" managed Hagrid. "I... uh... Name's Hagrid, ma'am... Friend of Is'bell'uh's..."

"Friend of Isabella's, I know!" she said, completing the sentence for him. "Isabella said a rather large, burly man would be coming to pay me a visit, but er... this is quite a surprise... er... I... I'm sorry, I'm being very rude! Please come in..." she said, although quite unsure how Hagrid would fit into their tiny doorway.

"Er... I'd rather no', Mrs Granger..." said Hagrid, sounding practical for the very first time in his life. "I how'v'r was given the task o' deliverin' little Julianne 'ere," he said, pointing to the fast-asleep toddler on his shoulder. "Oh and er... Is'bell'uh'd also asked me ter give yer this," he said, handing over the parchment.

Hermione collapsed to the floor as her knees couldn't hold her any longer. Ron gave Harry a sidelong glance and placed his hand on top of her head in an attempt to calm her down. Harry lightly shook his head in complete disbelief as he tightened his grip on Hermione's hand. Tears streamed down Hermione's face as it all seemed to flash back at her. It all _finally_ made sense to her. Harry somewhere knew that she never felt like she fit into her family. The Grangers couldn't have ever had a Magical relative and yet, their daughter turned out to be one of the finest witches of their age... Something never added up there...

Hermione stared on like she'd lost everything. As fresh set of tears streamed down her face, Ron had had enough; he sat down next to Hermione and pulled her close to him.

"What is this all about, Hagrid...?" she asked, sounding nervous. "Is everything okay with Isabella?" she asked, looking at the piece of parchment. Her eyes widened at the first sentence itself. Without another word, Mrs Granger read the letter and soon enough, fat tears streamed down her eyes.

". _..my little Julianne Jean Williams-Black will be forever yours.._." she read, tears running down her face. Her hands were shaking so much, it looked like she was finding it difficult to read further. " _...you were a mother without a child..._ " she choked. " _I know you will love her as your own... I may not be alive when you read this... please take care of our baby... take care of my baby Julianne..._ " she read. " _...she's forever yours from this moment on..._ "

Mrs Granger couldn't take it any longer. She was weeping in earnest as she read and re-read the letter over and over not quite able to believe what was given to her. ( _"Mum, no..." whispered Hermione. "I'm here, mother, I'm right here..." she cried. Quite forgetting that she was in a memory, Hermione put her hand out trying to reach for her mother)._

"Hagrid!" whimpered Mrs Granger. "Is Isabella in trouble?! We have to help her!" she cried out loud. Her eyes were now looking bloodshot as more tears ran down her face. "Why would she be dead when I read this? IS she dead?" she asked, trembling a little. Little Julianne stirred in her sleep and Mrs Granger immediately shut up. She didn't want to wake the baby. She looked longingly at the toddler a second longer and instantly seemed to fall in love with her.

"Mrs Granger, please," said Hagrid. "It's no' safe ter talk ou'side..." he said, looking up at the skies as if expecting to be attacked by invisible Death Eaters any second. "This baby needs a home an' tha' place is 'ere..." he said, handing over the sleeping 2-year-old to Mrs Granger. "She's yers from this momen' on."


	28. I Open At The Close

**A/N: It's 2:17 A.M. here and I'm kinda dead right now. Didn't have time to re-read any part of this chap. My other chaps contain a lot of mistakes too but this one could have a lot more. Hence, please overlook them for the time-being. I will correct it all soon!**

 **I loved this chap. Hope you all do too.. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 28: I Open At The Close**

* * *

 **31 October, 1981**

THE WOODS, LAMBOUNRE  
Near Claiborne's Residence  
 _09:38 PM_

"Remus!" he croaked. "REMUUUS!"

Sweating and panting, Sirius trudged on through the thick forest looking for his friend. Harry made a rough calculation and realized that Sirius had been looking for Remus for about two hours now. After several moments, Sirius stopped in his tracks to catch his breath.

"Where are you, mate," he muttered under his breath and scanned the thick forest once again. Suddenly, he noticed that there was a small clearing up ahead of him and big blots of blood stains lined the parched forest floor. Sirius's face fell as realization hit him: Claiborne, indeed, was dead.

Without another thought, he took on his dog form and sniffed at the blood and paw prints. The great black dog wagged its tail as it recognized the scent of its long-lost friend and immediately bounded ahead in the direction of the scent.

It was very hard for Harry, Ron and Hermione to keep up with the long strides of the dog. Finally, the dog leaped on to a large rock and came to a halt. There, several feet below, Harry could see the black shape of a large, yet injured Werewolf.

Harry's stomach immediately tightened into a knot as the gruesome memory of Claiborne's death hit him. That second, he knew neither he nor Ron or Hermione would ever be able to feel the same way about Remus ever again. In reality, Remus was the greatest wizard and the kindest man Harry had ever known and yet, something had changed... It looked like the gruesome reality and the full weight of Remus's illness had finally sunk in on the three of them and, quite sadly, he _wasn't_ all that harmless after all. Claiborne, indeed, was right in feeling insecure about his condition...

Harry was thankful Remus at least had friends who chose to stick by him _despite_ the danger of his condition. In reality, what happened to Claiborne could just as easily have happened to James, Sirius _or_ Peter and Harry's respect for the three of them (yes, even Peter) went up by several notches.

The dog bounded on effortlessly towards its friend and paused a few meters away from the Werewolf. The Werewolf was panting and whining in pain. It looked up as the dog approached and, after a cursory glance at its old friend, laid its head resignedly back on the floor. The dog slowly transformed back into a man and a second later, a worried-looking Sirius stood towering over the Werewolf. Without the slightest hesitation, he reached out and fondly stroked the thin, hairless head of the Werewolf. The mere touch of Sirius seemed to make Remus stronger. The large animal moved closer to his best friend and cuddled on his lap which immediately brought tears to his eyes.

"I'm here, Remus..." muttered Sirius, stroking the wounded animal lovingly. "Don't you worry about anything, mate..." he whispered, wiping his eyes. "Everything's going to be just fine, I promise..." he said, shaking slightly from the emotions welling up inside of him. He pressed his head against the hard rock behind him, quite unable to take on the pain.

"She was a great girl," he whispered, as another tear trickled down to his chin at the thought of Claiborne. "Guess, it just wasn't meant to be... You and her, you know? The chemistry was never right," he joked with a shaky voice. "I'd rather you be with someone more fiery... _sexier_ , you know what I mean?" he said, chuckling bitterly as his eyes watered more than ever. "It's not your fault, Moony," he said, now crying in earnest. "In fact... if anybody's to be blamed for what happened to her... it should be me..." he croaked miserably. "I should _never_ have doubted you; should never have left you alone...!" he said, guilt-ridden. " _Two years_...?" he asked himself, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe he could let something like that even happen. " _I'm so sorry, Moony..._ " he wept and hugged the animal close to him.

( _"How I wish I didn't really know all the things that had happened in the past," said Ron quite out of the blue. Harry and Hermione turned to look at him reflecting back the exact same feeling_ ) _._

* * *

MALFOY MANOR, WILTSHIRE  
 _10:15 PM_

Bellatrix scanned the circular burn mark on her chest and licked her lips stupidly. Isabella was hanging upside down from the chandelier in the centre of the hall. Sweat and blood dripped down from her face as she swayed lightly.

( _"Ron, I don't want to see this..." said Hermione, miserably. "I don't think I can take any more of this!" she whispered. He shook his head at her and said, "It's almost over, baby. Just a little more..." he said. "We_ have _to do this... Sirius,_ your father _, wants us to do something and we_ have _to be here. We_ have _to see this..."_ ).

"Now, for the LAST time!" shrieked Bellatrix. She twirled her wand dangerously at Isabella. "Why did you summon Malfoy? What did you want from him?!" her voice echoed across the hall.

Isabella merely smiled. "Like I said, I only speak to the Dark Lord," she said simply.

"He's busy..." said Bellatrix, making it sound like Voldemort had a sudden manicure appointment. "You know, I quite enjoy torturing you," she said, smiling gleefully. "You seem to have a high tolerance for pain which makes me want to harm you more..." she said, running her hand against the upside down face of Isabella.

Isabella smirked. "You're lucky I'm all tied up and without a wand," said Isabella glaring daggers at Bellatrix. "Because if I did, _you_ would be hanging here instead, _begging_ me... to KILL you!" she spat.

Bellatrix glared mutely. Shock and rage hit her and Harry almost braced himself for a barrage of howls and shrieks from her. Ironically, though, she merely raised her eyebrow and whispered, "Crucio."

Harry wasn't sure if it was the effect of the palatial hall or if the curse was just simply _doubly_ effective. Either way, he was _DAZED_ by the amount of pain Isabella experienced at the mere pronouncement of the spell. She jumped and writhed and wriggled and flapped as Bellatrix pushed and pushed until Isabella's shrieks threatened to shatter every glass piece in the mansion. The wand kept gnawing and clawing at Isabella's insides as she jerked and spluttered with excruciating pain. Ron wrapped his hand around a hysterical Hermione, as if waiting for it all to stop; waiting for the shrieks to stop. After a point, Harry was sure Isabella was haemorrhaging internally as he watched blood spewing down from her mouth.

"Say it," said Bellatrix. "Say the word, and I will stop," she said. Isabella looked like she would drop dead any second now but refused to take Bellatrix's offer. "Beg..." said Bellatrix coldly. "BEG!" she yelled, her evil intensifying with her every breath. Isabella let out a spine-breaking scream, quivering with pain.

"Lestrange..." said Lucius, quivering with shock. "Let go..." he said.

But Bellatrix pretended to not hear Lucius. " _BEG_ me to stop, you silly girl!" she yelled, and bore her evil eyes into Isabella's screaming face. "Beg or you won't be alive to run into the arms of my dear cousin..." she said, smiling insanely.

"Lestrange! STOP IT!" Lucius yelled, once again, but did not have the courage enough to _make_ her stop.

That was the limit. Harry couldn't take it anymore. His brain was imploding at the sight of the unimaginable pain Isabella was experiencing right now. He knew Bellatrix had crossed the line even for her standards, since, even fellow Death Eaters seemed to cringe uncomfortably.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, Lestrange!" came a voice from behind making all the heads turn. Bagnold had just Floo'd into the Malfoy fireplace. "The plan was NOT to fraternize with the enemy. It was merely to assassinate her. Why is she still alive?!" she asked, steely.

Bellatrix coolly flicked her wand and the writhing stopped. Isabella's pain finally ended. Harry wiped his forehead in relief and leaned against Ron for support. The three friends held on to each other as the memory continued. This, indeed, was starting to look like their LONGEST night ever. Harry wanted it to end already. Enough... No more...

"Just trying to get her to talk..." said Bellatrix. She walked clumsily towards the table full of food and grabbed an apple to munch on. "She is up to something, you know?" she said, turning to face the Minister. "She and Malfoy here," she said pointing to a blank-looking, sorrow-ridden Lucius, "know something that we don't. Why else did she erase his memories?!"

"Oh, sack of grubbleworms, would it even matter?!" yelled Bagnold. "We're running out of time!" she yelled, sternly. "The Dark Lord will be on his way to the Potters' soon and we need to FINISH this..." she said, pointing to Isabella, "...before he gets there! I want the job done in the next HOUR, NO EXCEPTIONS!" she said, glaring at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix clearly did not appreciate being yelled at. "Watch your tone, missy," she muttered dangerously. "I can turn the Dark Lord against you with a flick of my fingers... The Ministry will _not_ like it if the Truce is broken..." she said, with a slight smile. Bagnold nearly flinched at the look that Bellatrix was giving her and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

* * *

DINGY APARTMENT, ORDER HIDE-OUT  
MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:30 PM_

 _Crack!_

Sirius apparated into the dingy and damp room with a werewolf beside him. The animal seemed to be unconscious, presumably from all the injuries it had sustained a few hours before. Harry's heart started to pound against his chest.

(" _Go on, Sirius..._ " he muttered under his breath. " _Go get her..._ " _he said, getting desperate every second._ " _She's_ right _there... Go get her..._ ")

Sirius hurriedly rummaged into his knapsack and brought out a large phial with a murky brown potion in it. He quickly uncorked it and, using a dropper-like apparatus, poured a jar full of potion into the animal's mouth. The result was immediate. The breathing of the Werewolf started to steady and its parched, sallow skin was now slightly pink and healthier.

Sirius wiped his forehead and sat down trying to compose himself.

( _"What's he DOING?!" Harry yelled. Ron looked alarmed at Harry's outburst. "He's right THERE!" he said, pointing to Sirius. "_ Twenty feet _away from Isabella!" he yelled, sounding perplexed. "Ron, Sirius... He's right there..." he repeated weakly_ ) _._

 _Sirius?!_ came a muffled sound from somewhere. Sirius looked around blankly for a second before realization hit him. He shoved his hand into his jeans' pocket and took out the shard of mirror.

"James! I'm here, I'm right here!" he yelled into the mirror.

"Where've you _been_?!" yelled James. "We've been worried sick here! Are you alright?" he asked anxiously.

"James, everything's fine! I found Moony. He's right here, with me, in this hideout place. He's been injured badly but I managed to find him the antidote, so he's recovering now," said Sirius, all in one breath.

"Oh thank god, but mate... Sirius, we're sinking here..." James said, most nervously. "There's something I need to tell you... it's Isabella..." he said, and waited with bated breath and panic and anxiety shot through Sirius's spine. "I er... Mate, Izzy is not staying with the Longbottoms," he said, slowly. "No one knows where she is... Something does _not_ seem right..."

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:35 PM_

"...to the Potters'?" asked a dazed and bleeding Isabella. Harry was stunned at the courage that she was displaying right now.

"Yes, to the Potters'" said, Bellatrix humming happily. "He should be on his way there anytime now, you know..." she said and winked at Rodolphus Lestrange.

Isabella smiled. "He'll never find them..."

The Death Eaters around Isabella surveyed her for a second longer before throwing their heads back and roaring with laughter. "But he already _has_ ," chimed Dolohov. "Lucius, summon Peter," he said, amidst his laughter. Isabella's eyes flew open in shock. "It's time she saw it for herself," he said which invited more thumping and slapping and laughing from the black hoods.

* * *

DINGY APARTMENT, ORDER HIDE-OUT  
MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:37 PM_

"… what do you MEAN, you don't know, James?! Where in the wide world CAN she be?!" yelled, Sirius, looking perplexed. "Julianne… Where's Julianne… Who is she with?! James!" he yelled.

"Sirius, please… Mate, we're all worried here, but I really, _really_ want you to calm down… Why don't you go to your place in Dorset and look there, just in case. I'll try and contact Dumbledore…"

( _"WHAT ARE THEY DOING?" yelled Harry, flabbergasted. "SHE'S RIGHT THERE! Sirius, would you open your eyes just a BIT!" "Harry, mate, calm down!" said Ron. "Ron, this is ridiculous! She's going to DIE in there…!"_ )

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:38 PM_

From underneath the table scampered out a rather large, fat rat. The Death Eaters nearest to it laughed and stamped at it as it ducked and dodged past their feet. A hysterical Rabastan Lestrange pointed his wand at it and instantly the rat started grow and expand. Isabella gaped on dumbfounded as the rat slowly transformed into a fat and scared-looking Peter Pettigrew.

"Peter…?" she whispered.

Peter turned around and jumped back at the sight of Isabella. Guilt and fear gripped him as he contemplated between laughing stupidly with the Death Eaters and greeting her. He chose the former. With a glint of evil in his eyes and a hint of smile of his lips, he looked at her straight in eye and waved her goodbye as if to say her end is here.

Isabella started to quiver in shock. "Sirius..." she whispered.

* * *

DINGY APARTMENT, ORDER HIDE-OUT  
MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:38 PM_

"Isabella..." whispered Sirius. Harry could almost hear his heart pounding against his ribs as he stood there looking shell-shocked out of his skin. His back was to the window that overlooked the Malfoy Manor. Harry could see a lit window in one of the rooms on the top floor of the house. His brain was exploding with anxiety.

( _"Turn around," he whispered, desperately. "Turn AROUND you, idiot!")._ Sirius did not turn around. He gave a sidelong glance at the Werewolf and, without another word, disapparated to some place. Ron smacked his forehead in frustration. "Oh, boy," he said). All hope was lost.

* * *

WILLIAMS-BLACK RESIDENCE, DORSET  
 _10:39 PM_

"IZZYYYY!" yelled Sirius and burst open the front door. "ISABELLAAA! JULIANNE! Baby, are you there?!" he yelled, shaking from head to foot. "IZZYYYYY!" he yelled.

* * *

POTTER'S COTTAGE, GODRIC'S HOLLOW  
 _10:40 PM_

The tall hooded figure of a bald, marble white man could be seen. Ron looked like he would throw up any minute with anxiety now. He was gripping tightly on to Hermione on one side and Harry on the other as three watched on with bated breath.

Lord Voldemort stood there surveying the quiet lane that led to the humble cottage which was dimly lit now. His eyes breathed venom as they bore into the window where a bespectacled man was rocking his one-year-old to sleep. Tears streamed down Harry's eyes. _Any minute now… No, please…_

* * *

GRIMMAULD PLACE, ISLINGTON  
 _10:41 PM_

"ISABELLA!" yelled, Sirius into the night. His face glistened with tears. All the houses that lined the road were dark and quiet. "Izzy... Where are you... Izzy... Julianne..." he said, aimlessly ambling the streets. "I can't lose you, love... Julianne... My baby... Where... Where are you... Izzy... Izzy! IZZYYYYYY!"

Lights started coming on in the houses nearest to Sirius. Sirius ran towards Number 12, Grimmauld Place. He dashed into the house and scanned the spider web-ridden house. "IZZY! ISABELLAAAAAAAA!" he yelled.

No one answered to that name.

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:43 PM_

" _…they're not going to get us… they're not going to get us!_ " Isabella kept chanting under her breath. "I have to live… Lily… James," whispered Isabella. She was not hanging from the ceiling anymore but was sprawled on the floor with blood oozing out her hands and chin. "Fight, Izzy…" Harry could hear her say. "Harry… He needs you…" she whispered as Bagnold was giving out strict instructions to the Death Eaters.

"…Ministry officials will line the building for exactly one hour giving you all protection while the assassination is being carried forward!" she said. "At the end of the hour, memories of each and every person who knew Isabella Williams, WILL BE WIPED OUT! All records will be burnt and destroyed. So it is _imperative_ that she is DEAD by that time. Remember, not a sound is to be heard outside…" she said.

"No… No… I have to live… Sirius… Harry… Izzy, push! Think, Izzy, _think_ …" she whimpered as tears poured down from her face. Suddenly she spotted an abandoned wand on the floor. It was lying about 2 feet away from her.

* * *

POTTER'S COTTAGE  
 _10:45 PM_

An earth-shattering blast was heard. The front door was busted and the ceiling of the house came crashing down. Lord Voldemort mutely walked on, pushing away all obstacles from his way.

Footsteps were heard coming down from the floor above. James ran into the living room and froze at the sight of Death staring back at him. Harry quivered and trembled at the look of absolute resignation on his father's face. He held on to Ron even tighter.

"No… No… Please… I beg you! Not my son, please… I'll give you anything… _Anything else_ ," James begged. Voldemort merely grinned at his powerlessness. ( _That second, Harry noticed tiny white wisps escaping away from James's head_ ).

" _Avada Kedavra!_ "

* * *

KINGSCROSS STATION, LONDON  
 _10:46 PM_

The place was bustling with heavy traffic and commuters even at this time of the night. Sirius turned around and ambled through the crowd like a mad man.

"IZZYYYYYY! JULIANNEEE! _ISABELLA_! Baby, please answer me!" he yelled, tears streaming down his face. Several passers-by turned to look at him with annoyed expressions. "Oh my god, _where are you?!_ Don't be dead, baby, please... I'm here, I'm right here... I won't let _anything_ bad happen to you..." he sobbed, as his eyes desperately searched for that familiar kind face of his wife ( _little wisps of white strands escaped from Sirius's head too and rose high up in the air_ ). "Izzy! Baby, where are you? Izzy... Izzy... IZZY!" he said. Frustration and desperation peaked. Without warning, Sirius collapsed to his knees and howled into his hands.

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:47 PM_

Lucius gently lifted Isabella and held her in his arms. Ministry officials scurried out of the room leaving only the Death Eaters behind.

"Forgive me, Bella," he whispered and looked into her eyes one last time. "I don't know what else to do..." he sobbed and ran his finger down her beautiful face. "My son... They threaten to kill my family..."

Isabella merely blinked back, not even having the energy to speak. "In another life, perhaps..." and ran his finger over her face one more time.

 _Isabella has to die... There isn't any other way..._

 _Time, can change everything, my dear... Time will change everything, Isabella..._

 _Time... Time is everything..._

With a sudden new-found energy, Isabella swung her hand forwards and pointed her stolen wand at Lucius's face, her expression warrior-like.

Lucius's eyes widened with shock and, just as he thought he was going to die at the hand of Isabella, a silver lynx shot out of the end of her wand. The beautiful wild cat jumped out of the wand and pranced along the massive hall before disappearing out of the window.

* * *

POTTER'S COTTAGE  
 _10:48 PM_

The stairs creaked as the large man ascended them slowly. He seemed to be in no hurry as he flashed an eerie smile in the dim light that emanated from the floor above. A ghostly wind swept in from the window ahead making his black, ragged robes ruffle in the air.

 _Harry_ , came a whisper from above. _Harry, mama's here. Mama's right here. I love you my baby…_

Lord Voldemort stood there at the entrance watching the stupid girl kissing the face of a one-year-old. A lightning crashed through the skies right outside, illuminating Voldemort's full body frame. Lily shivered with fear as she could feel his presence lurking right behind her.

In the most theatrical fashion, Voldemort swept into the room and looked at Lily with a smile more malicious and evil than anything Harry could ever think of.

"Pl… Please…" begged Lily. "Not Harry… Have mercy… Not Harry… Not my son," she cried. Voldemort cocked his head to one side and mutely pointed his wand at Lily. "Please… Please!" she said, touching his feet. "Take me… Not Harry…"

Voldemort gave her one more smile of curiosity before raising his wand.

All hope washed away from Harry's heart as he watched on helplessly. If not for Ron holding him up, Harry would've fallen to his knees as the time for him to bid his mum goodbye inched closer. _I love you, mum_ , he whispered and braced himself...

One more second and… " _Avada Kedavra!_ "

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:49 PM_

A stunned expression fell across the faces of the Death Eaters as they watched the Patronus of a Lynx disappear. A moment later, the hall thundered with their laughter and thumping.

"Well, that was NOT what I was expecting from the world's GREATEST witch, ever!" chimed in Greyback.

"She's come here to DIE!" yelled Bellatrix which invited more howls of laughter from the audience. Peter was laughing out loud too.

Isabella shot him a look of utter disgust. Her expression conveyed hurt, anger, betrayal and loathing all the same time. It was so intense that Peter's expression actually changed. He suddenly seemed to find it difficult to breathe. His rat-like face looked around frantically and before anyone could notice, he flicked his wand and disapparated in a flash.

Lucius, who continued to hold her in his arms, held on a little tighter, for fear that he might lose her otherwise. "I'm right here, Bella... Not leaving your side ever," he said, as a tear escaped his eye.

* * *

KINGSCROSS STATION  
 _10:50 PM_

Sirius was clutching his hair and crying in the middle of the busy road like a mad man. "Don't be gone, Izzy, please don't be gone..." he sobbed. "I couldn't possibly do this without you..." he howled. Suddenly, he remembered something even more important. "Julianne..." he looked up, his eyes desperately searching the streets for answers about his daughter. "Oh my god, I hope she's safe somewhere!" his breath came out shivers as his mind raced back to Julianne's face. "Baby, hold on till I find you! I'm coming for you! I will find you no matter where you go, sweetheart... Oh my god, keep her safe wherever she is," he pleaded, looking up helplessly at the skies, his face glistening with tears pouring down his face. "Please keep her safe wherever she is!"

Just then, a silver lynx leaped towards him from nowhere. Sirius's eyes widened. For s split second, his face broke out into a smile and hope washed over his body. Until...

The lynx glowed brightly and a serene voice flooded all around Sirius.

 _Sirius,_ it said. _These_ _are my last moments here... I'm sorry for letting you face this world alone. I had to go for this world to be a better place. I had to go so that our daughter will have a better chance at life. You need to go on without me. You have a daughter. You need to take care of her._

"Izzy, no..."

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:50 PM_

Lucius reluctantly placed Isabella on the long black table that lined the wall and the Death Eaters stood in a semicircle around her. A look of death gripped as he stared on helplessly at her. "Lucius... Please... No..." she said, tears dripping down her face. "Please... Don't... Please!"

Everyone raised their wands at her. "Please! PLEASE! PLEASE, don't! Please!"

* * *

KINGSCROSS STATION  
 _10:50 PM_

 _You have a daughter… You need to go on without me… You need to be there for her… Do not forget me, Sirius…_

"Isabella… Baby, where are you going…?" he asked, as tears dripped down his face. "Why would I forget you, my love…? DON'T leave me alone here, Izzy, _I couldn't do it without you!_ " he cried out desperately, as he fell on his knees. "Baby, please… _Don't leave me behind_ … Take me with you… _Take me with you, Izzy!_ " he sobbed, as the Patronus slowly started to fade away.

* * *

MALFOY MANOR  
 _10:51 PM_

Harry saw Ministry officials outside the mansion performing a memory wipe-out charm in a large cauldron.

Up in the top floor, Isabella continued to beg for her life.

" _I'm sorry, Sirius…_ " were her last words, as a slow tear rolled her face. She closed her eyes in the last moment, as if allowing Death to finally take her away.

" _Crucio!_ " the Death Eaters screamed in one voice.

That was the last time she screamed...

* * *

KINGSCROSS STATION  
 _10:51 PM_

The Patronus faded away right in front of his eyes.

"Izzy," he sobbed. "Isabella, how could you?" he whispered and simply stared on blankly as his entire life came crashing in on him. Harry noticed a light blue dust falling all around the Kingscross Station: it was the mass memory wipe-out charm. The blue dust descended and seeped into his head; Isabella was wiped out permanently from his memory.

He continued to stare at the place where the Patronus had disappeared. "Izzy… Wh… Where am I?" he whispered to himself, still crying. Fear and panic took over as confusion set in. "Why am I here…? Something important…" he muttered under his breath. His head started to sway as tears continued to incessantly pour down his face. He rubbed his chest to ease the pain he was going through right now. "Something important," he repeated, squeezing his brain to remember despite hie eyes watering incessantly. "No… NO! Think Padfoot, THINK!" he cried, slamming his head against his hands and suddenly a brief revelation hit him before it was gone forever: " _She's gone…?_ "

* * *

POTTER'S COTTAGE  
 _10:51 PM_

Voldemort kicked the body of Lily aside and edged closer towards Harry's crib. The little baby froze at the sight of Voldemort's evil grin. ( _Little wisps of silver smoke rise from little Harry's head too_ ).

The Dark Lord surveyed the pair of innocent eyes that stared back at him and, not surprisingly, did not seem to be moved even a little.

"Vanquish the Dark Lord, eh?" he said. " _Never!_ " he bellowed.

He raised his wand for the third time.

" _Aaaavada Kedavra!_ "

A streak of green light shot out of his wand and then...

* * *

~oOo~ **DARKNESS** ~oOo~

O

-o-

~.o.~

Hermione and Harry's sobs echoed in the darkness. Hermione had been crying uncontrollably for the last fifteen minutes while Harry had tried to be brave but had failed miserably. The sudden darkness that Harry was thrown into did not stop his pain; he had finally lost the need to live anymore. He didn't want to live when _so many_ had breathed their last trying to keep _him_ alive! Tears poured down his face non-stop as he thought of Sirius and Isabella and his mum and dad... _Why? WHY?!_

Slowly, very slowly, Harry started to look around for his friends in the dark and felt Ron's jean jacket in his hand. It took Harry a really long time to adjust his eyes to the sudden blackness. Suddenly, a gold light appeared from Harry's right. He turned around and saw that it was coming from Hermione: from the locket she wore around her neck: the Time-Turner!

A gush of wind hit the three of them as the Time-Turner rose up in the air and started whizzing at top speed. Suddenly…

 _Ding!_

An ear-splitting chime of a clock jarred against Harry's glasses. Up ahead in front of him, a tiny silver wisp of smoke continued to drift through the air.

 _Ding!_

Ron was going completely mental now with the chime ringing through his ears.

"What's going on, Hermione?" whispered Harry. He felt no emotion though; he was dead on the inside.

 _Ding!_

"If I knew, I would've told you by now, Harry..." she muttered.

 _Ding!_

"Harry, what's with that wisp of silver smoke?" asked Ron. "It's been rising from your baby head for quite some time now!"

 _Ding!_

"Dunno…" came Harry's reply. It was like his body was cut-off from all reality and his brain had gone on auto-pilot mode. Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be hurtling fast towards some place.

 _Ding!_

Suddenly, they came to a halt. They were standing along the edge of a cliff. The whizzing of air stopped and they were standing in front a tall man who had his back to the three of them.

 _Ding!_

The tiny wisp of silver light floated right above the man who instantly caught it and turned around.

 **It was Albus Dumbledore.**

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for reading till here... Hope everyone's enjoying the story.**

 **I know it got really sad but this is exactly how I imagined the Marauder's era: marred with politics, injustice, sadness, mystery, double-crossing, cowardice, tragedy, a deep-rooted history and death...**

 **I always thought that during that era, a LOT happened than what met the eye, thereby shrouding the magical world in mystery and secrecy... it was far too tragic in my head and I wanted to pen it all down, whilst trying to bridge all the gap in the missing pieces of information in JK Rowling's masterpiece that was Harry Potter... please read on to find out how it all ended..**

 **Love you all to bits...**


	29. Book Two: A Headmaster's Tale

~oOo~ **BOOK TWO** ~oOo~

The Chosen One's Tale...

* * *

 **Chapter 29: A Headmaster's Tale**

* * *

 **DAY 0:** OCTOBER 31, 1981  
GORGON HILL, HOGSMEADE  
 _11:00 PM (Time Warp)_ **  
**

~oO

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked shell-shocked as they stared on at the battered, old face of their Headmaster. The wisp of memory that he had caught was still floating at the tip of his wand as he stared back at them serenely. What was their _Headmaster_ doing in Sirius's memory and why was he looking at them as if he could actually _see_ them?

"Well..." came a voice. "You could begin by _greeting_ an old man for starters?" said Dumbledore with a gentle smile on his face and poured the last wisp of memory into a black, leather-bound diary.

For a second Harry wasn't sure if Dumbledore was really talking to them. Salty tears stained his face as he stared on weakly at the tall, old man. "P-Professor?" he managed to let out. "You... You can... _See_ us?" he asked, completely flabbergasted. "Where _are_ we?" he said, looking around at the moonlit cliff that overlooked Hogsmeade village. "How are you... _alive_?" he said, tension mounting up like a pressure-cooker inside of him.

Dumbledore briefly surveyed the three of them through his half-moon glasses and chuckled softly before sighing loudly. "Time can be _really confusing_ sometimes, don't you think?" he asked, looking around absentmindedly. "If you were to ask _me_ , Harry, I would call this," he said, gesturing at their odd rendezvous, "as an _'in-between'_ if you know what I mean... A kind of _bend_ in time where, you get to meet your old Professor in the past or... to put it in other words, _I_ get to meet my students in _my_ future," he said, smiling widely.

Harry, Ron and Hermione simply stared back, obviously not understanding a single word of what Dumbledore was saying.

Noting that this explanation still was not good enough, Dumbledore rubbed his chin and tried again. "Consider this..." he said putting his hands out in front. "You're in the Muggle world and you're taking a trip down a mountain. The road winds and circles around the mountain till you finally reach the bottom. However, sometimes, the roads are paved in such a way that there is a sharp, hairpin _bend_ in its path. Once you've _crossed_ the bend and look out the window of your car, you are side-to-side with another car that's coming behind you on the road you _were_ on before," he said, looking straight into their faces. "It's the same as with Time. That _mountain_ represents time and on that mountain, _you_ are the present," he said, pointing at the 30-something-looking Harry, Ron and Hermione, "and I... am the past," he said. "And we are currently on two ends of the hairpin _bend_ in time and thus, we meet: past to present," he said.

The three of them mutely nodded.

"And, going by the looks on your faces, I must assume a LOT has happened from this moment," he said, gesturing at himself to indicate the _'past'_ , "to where you stand today," he said pointing at them and indicating the _'future'_. "And, boy, am glad that I got to meet the descendant and the _future_ heir of Gryffindor, in person..." he added looking directly at Hermione. "Hermione," said Dumbledore, with a serene smile. "Or should it be _Julianne_..."

" _Hermione_ , Professor," she said, quickly with a shaky voice. "It will _always_ be 'Hermione'," she said, trying hard to keep a straight face. Dumbledore nodded, duly acknowledging her preference. "But Professor, I have a question," she said, looking around at the scenery. "Is it really what I think it is? Are we..."

"Yes Hermione," said Dumbledore, without letting her finish the sentence. A weird feeling crept up inside Harry as realization slowly started to set in. Suddenly, his throat went dry and he felt utterly paralyzed with shock. "Unfortunately, it is what you think it is," Dumbledore continued. His voice dripped with guilt.

Ron looked at Harry for help. He was clearly lost.

But for Harry that was the limit. He couldn't take it anymore. " _Are you serious?_ " he said, ignoring Ron. "You're joking," he said, shaking his head in utter disbelief. "You couldn't... You _wouldn't_ ," he said, but as Dumbledore continued to stare helplessly at Harry, all the blood drained from his face. "You knew? You actually _knew_?!" anger and rage burned through his body.

Ron merely blinked as he looked blankly from Harry to Hermione to Dumbledore. "You actually knew... and yet chose to simply STAND THERE?!" Harry yelled.

"Knew _what_ , Harry?" asked Ron.

"Harry, please hear me out..." started Dumbledore.

"NO!" bellowed Harry, punching his own thigh in frustration. "THEY TRUSTED YOU...!"

"Can someone PLEASE tell me what the _BLOODY_ hell is GOING ON?!" bellowed Ron, finally cracking up. "People really need to start FINISHING their sentences!"

"Ron! We've travelled _back_ in time!" yelled Harry, clapping his hands. "October 31st, 1981: the same day my parents were killed, the same day Isabella died, the same day Voldemort disappeared, the same day ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! And instead of going out there and _helping_ the Order members, our headmaster has decided to go SIGHT-SEEING!" he bellowed. His voice echoed through the valley and down the cliff.

Ron's face went white as he gaped on looking appalled. Shock settled around them like dust. A light wind blew over their faces and broke the silence that followed that outburst.

Ron looked around at Harry and Hermione and could tell that both of them were currently harbouring _not-so-peasant_ thoughts of Dumbledore at the moment, while Dumbledore stood there looking like a convict in a trial. "What... What time is it, Professor?" he asked, after almost an eternity. "Is it all... _way_ beyond repair? Can _any_ of it be helped?"

"Unfortunately no, Ron," said Dumbledore, sounding slightly shaken at Harry's remark. "Everything's gone... Over... Hagrid's on his way to pick up little Harry even as we speak."

"Why, Professor?" asked Hermione. "It needn't have been this way... _Why?_ "

"Yes, why?" asked Harry, tears streaming down his face. "You could've stopped ALL of it! _NONE_ of this need have happened!" Harry croaked. "Do you even KNOW what Isabella went through on this _FUCKING_ day?! Do you _REALIZE_ what you've done to Sirius?! He will FOREVER be alone while not even KNOWING who Isabella was; not even knowing he has a DAUGHTER! He DIED not knowing _ANY OF THIS!_ " he howled. "And my parents..." he whispered, as fresh set of tears tumbled down his face. "They left me to fight Voldemort _all alone_... They _died_ for me..." he sobbed, staring into nothingness.

"And it's all because of YOU!" he suddenly yelled, as anger surged through his spine. The feeling of anxiety and helplessness and abandonment was rendering him breathless. "Honestly? I _never_ wondered exactly _where_ you were when my parents died up until now! Not _once_ did I ask myself if you knew it was bound to happen and even if you did, why you hadn't done anything to stop it..."

"Harry, stop it..." begged Ron, grasping Harry's shoulder.

"Turns out," Harry continued, shrugging out of Ron's grip, "you actually DID know what was coming, you actually DID know they couldn't handle it all by themselves and yet... Yet, you chose to not DO anything about it?! Are you honestly this _SADISTIC_?!" he yelled.

"Harry, don't be an IDIOT!" yelled Ron, while grabbing hold of Harry's shirt.

"Ron, _DON'T_ YOU SEE...?!"

"NOO!" he bellowed, and tightened his grip on Harry's collar. "WHAT IF IT _HAD_ TO BE THIS WAY?!" Ron yelled, glaring into Harry's eyes, silencing him altogether. Ron's voice echoed through the still night as he glared back at Harry. Hermione and Harry were completely dumbfounded. Harry stared back at Ron in shock as he let go of his collar. A tense moment passed as the three men collected themselves.

Ron took in a deep breath and spoke first. "Harry," he said, looking up. "Remember what the prophecy said... It _had_ to be this way, mate..."

"It wasn't easy, Harry," said Dumbledore, looking at him with pained eyes. "It's a _curse_ ," he said, bitterly, "to know _everything_!" he said, nodding his head. "To _know_ what's coming and _not_ being able to do _anything_ about it...! To know that I had to let it all happen while _dying_ inside wondering what each of them were going through _every second of every minute..._ In fact, it is the worst, most _painful_ thing I have _ever_ had to endure in my entire life," he said, as he clasped his hands together to remain calm. "Even more painful than defeating my old friend, Grindelwald, I must say..." he said and looked over at the lush landscape behind him.

A long pause followed Dumbledore's words. Harry still was not convinced and continued to seethe with rage.

"It definitely is one of the biggest drawbacks of knowing _everything_ ," continued Dumbledore. "Ron is right, Harry, it _had_ to be this way. I _had_ to let destiny take its own course and prepared myself to _live_ with the consequences... whatever they may be..." he said, and paused for a second. "However... Had you died tonight, Harry, I must say... that would've been the end of me..." he said, in a mere whisper.

Harry's head shot up to see Dumbledore close to tears. Their Headmaster never quite ceased to amaze them, even after all this time.

A war of emotions broke out in Harry's head. He didn't know what to think anymore. How come, all of a sudden, NOTHING is simply either _black_ or _white_? After listening to Dumbledore, all of a sudden, Harry's definitions of "right" weren't really _right_ after all. Had it been Harry in Dumbledore's shoes and if it really had been _he_ who was faced with a situation of this sort where people's _lives_ were at stake, where little _children's_ lives were in danger, he was sure that he would've caved ... Harry wasn't so sure if he would have gone with the decision of _not_ doing anything about it as Dumbledore had.

From past experiences, Harry knew he was SO NOT the type to sit back and watch the worst pan out in front of his eyes while sincerely hoping he was doing the right thing. That second, he realized just HOW much courage and conviction one must possess to achieve what Dumbledore had up until this second. Back when Harry was seventeen, if Dumbledore's plan of letting Harry _die_ at the hands of Voldemort, in a hope to destroy him once and for all, was _unthinkable_ , this was beyond ANYTHING Harry could ever imagine.

"That diary in your hand, Professor," said Harry. "How... How did I get it? How did I find it out of nowhere? Is it really Sirius's diary...?"

"Yes Harry, it is Sirius's diary... Well, most part of it at least," he said. "I stole his diary the year he graduated out of Hogwarts, for I knew, I may need it for later. Ever since his graduation, I have been observing every Order member and started compiling this diary with all the important memories that the three of you would require to understand all that had happened in the past," he said. "In 2 hours from now, Harry, I will be putting you in the care of your aunt, Petunia..."

Harry pictured himself crying alone in the dark waiting to be picked up by a massive half-giant. A sharp sense of loneliness hit him as he imagined lying all alone in front of Aunt Petunia's house with nothing but a letter explaining his presence there.

"And as I wrap you up in the blanket, I will be stowing this diary in the folds, Harry," continued Dumbledore. "This diary is a time capsule, Harry. A time capsule, in the magical world, is an object that will travel with the rightful owner every second of every day of their lives until its scheduled date of opening. As soon as the time runs out, the object will appear in front of its owner. As for this diary, it appeared in front of you exactly forty years since 1976, so that you will fulfill the prophecy," he concluded and looked around at the trio.

"So what now, Professor...?" asked Ron. "Why are we here? Now that we've travelled back in time and all... What do we do?"

"That depends on what _you and_ _Hermione_ decide to do, Ron," he said, with a slight smile.

"Huh?" said Hermione, looking confused. " _Us?_ " she asked, looking around at Ron who looked just as befuddled as she did. "About what? What would _we_ have to do about _anything_?" she asked slowly. Suddenly, her eyes flew open. She covered her mouth in shock. "The curse..." she whispered. "It... It... _continues_? That's preposterous! How, professor? I... I don't quite understand..."

" _Four decades hence, the fruits be borne_ ," Dumbledore simply said. " _The change of fate with a whip of time... Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn_ ," he said, pointing at Hermione. " _Seven times doth the clock chime_ ," he said, this time pointing at the Time-Turner around her neck.

"The Ministry's plan to assassinate Isabella, in order to lift the curse didn't quite work as it should have, Hermione," he continued. "They didn't destroy her entirely because she left a piece of her behind... You..." he said, looking at Hermione. "You see, nobody, apart from the Order members were even _aware_ of your birth... No one knew that an heir of the curse had already been born... In your world, Hermione, it's been exactly four decades since your parents, Sirius and Isabella, were magically bonded, and now, the time is perfect for a possible _twist_ in history..." he said, with a slight smile.

"Talking about time and destiny though, _Merlin_ was I lucky, tonight," he continued on, wiping his forehead. "Especially after _all_ that took place, I was _positive_ I was going to lose _two_ _children_ tonight," he said. Harry and Hermione exchanged glances with one and another. "You see, Hermione, time is one thing while _destiny_ is another.

"When Remus learnt of Peter's betrayal and visited Claiborne to alert the Order members, my world came crashing in on me. I truly panicked because I was positive of the fact that, after tonight, there _won't necessarily_ _be an heir_ to fulfill the prophecy. But my patience paid off..." he said. "I didn't quite expect Isabella to just _happen_ to have a Felix Felicis in her pocket tonight that Sirius had concocted out as a _Christmas_ present for her _years_ ago and, I sure as hell did not expect her to send Hagrid after you as a mere _'check-point'_... It may have seemed as an almost _insignificant_ ripple in time when Sirius gave the potion to her in the train that day but that insignificant act was what has saved your life tonight, my dear... That was when my faith in the Greater Plan was restored... That was what helped me to stick by my decision and watch it all burn to the ground, Hermione," he said, sounding beat and relieved at the same time.

"I'm sorry, professor, but I still don't get it," said Ron. "Exactly _what_ are we to do and _what_ are we to decide upon?"

"Good question, Ron," he said. "Because Gryffindor continues to have an heir," he said, nodding at Hermione, "the curse lives on... What repercussions it is bound to have, I still do not know. However, from what I see, you two have two options in front of you. One, accept this to be your life and return to your present to lead the lives you were destined to have in that universe. Hugo, Rose, The Burrow... All of it.

"The other, however, is to go _back_ in time, and change the history as we know it... Give Sirius and Isabella another chance at life?" he said. "Break the curse...? End the successive progression of Dark Magic...? Give Harry a mother and father...?" looking directly into Hermione's face.

Hermione had gone completely white in the face as she stared back at the headmaster.

" _No,_ Professor," she said, shaking her head. "Why, that's... IMPOSSIBLE!" she said, stepping away from him as if she half expected him to attack her. "My _children!_ " she said, as a slow tear trickled down her face. "I couldn't possibly even _think_ of a life without Rose and Hugo!" she said, looking desperately around at Ron for help. "For better or for worse, I could not ever want a life without them!" she shrieked.

"Hermione..." said Ron, staring helplessly at her.

"No, Ron! Do NOT talk me into this!" she yelled and turned to Dumbledore. "Professor, PLEASE, I can't... But..." she paused and looked up puzzled. "Professor..." she said, looking up. " I don't understand... _Both_ Sirius and Isabella are _dead_. Doesn't the curse _die_ with them...?"

Dumbledore nodded lightly. "That is true, Hermione, except... Only one of them is _technically_ dead," he said, making their heads turn.

 _Sirius?_ thought Harry. A sudden rush of hope and happiness shot up through Harry as he waited with bated breath for Dumbledore to go on.

"Sirius, well... Let's just say, his is a tale I've been waiting to tell someone about since... Forever..." he said, and sighed. "Your father, Hermione, is not, in reality, _dead_. He continues to be _'in-between'_ ; trapped, imprisoned. When Sirius falls through the veil more than 15 years from now, he does not really die; he's trapped somewhere between life and death. As long as he's not dead, Hermione, the curse never really gets lifted.

"Sirius Black..." said Dumbledore, and shook his head in wonderment. "If Severus is rare, Sirius is _rarer_ , I must say. To be imprisoned for most part of his life, whether alive or otherwise, and yet be able to hold on to that undying spirit of setting everyone else free is something I can just not fathom... Sirius, _truly_ , is the _real hero_... Tonight, his world ended when his friends and Isabella died. And now, as he is being escorted by Ministry officials, he's willing to gladly spend the rest of his life being imprisoned for something he never did.

"And, just when he was at the _brink_ having a normal life with his godson and daughter, his life would take a turn for the worse as he falls through the veil. No one, and I mean NO ONE, should have to live a life filled with _such_ misfortune and hurt. I do not know what prompted Sirius to maintain a diary but come to think of it, had it not been for Sirius's diary, NONE of this would've been possible."

"And to think I never got to know him _as my father_..." sniffed Hermione.

"You still can if you want, Hermione," he said, patting her head. "Time can change everything... Time _is_ everything.

"Oh and..." he paused, pointing at the Time Turner around her neck. "That belongs to your mother. That is the heirloom of Gryffindor," he said, walking towards her and waving his wand across it. The Time Turner immediately started to melt and remold itself a golden pocket clock and new words appeared along the rim which read:

~oO GATHER YE ROSEBUDS WHILE YE MAY, TRUE HEIR TO THE THRONE NEED ONLY PRAY Oo~  
Godric Gryffindor

Hermione looked up, thoroughly confused. "But, professor, this was the Time Turner I received from the Ministry after writing to them a _dozen_ times in my third year..."

"Yes, you did, my dear. And on my part, I took that as an opportunity to return Gryffindor's heirloom back to the heir, where it's supposed to belong," he said, with a slight smile on his face. "Use the time well, my dear," he smiled.


	30. Days of Future Past

**Okay, so here's what happened. Had a massive brain block. Didn't quite know how to begin or what to write or how the story had to turn... that plus logistic-issues such as no WiFi for a whole TWO WEEKS! So that's my excuse...**

 **Heads up: This chapter is more descriptive and less action cause, I well, wanted to give the Golden Trio some time to actually** ** _process_** **all that Dumbledore had said. Hope everyone likes it! :)**

P.S. If anyone was wondering, YES this chapter's title is the same as that X Men movie!

 **Update (10/3/2017):** For those who are interested, I have a published a new One-Shot on Ron and Hermione! =) It is about the "Kiss" that Ron mentions to Hermione in this Chapter. I think it's really cute and I hope everyone enjoys it too! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 30: Days of Future Past**

* * *

 **Day 0:** OCTOBER 31, 1981 **  
**GORGON HILL, HOGSMEADE  
 _11.30 PM (Time Warp)_

~oO

 _'The calm after a storm'_ wasn't just an expression after all. The departure of their Headmaster seemed to have put the world into an almost ominous _'hush'_. A low rumble of an angry, yet, dying storm could be heard from the world below as a sense of hopelessness slowly trickled in on the three of them. Harry realized that, these were the first moments after the fall of Voldemort, and yet, ironically, the world did not seem as a safer place at all; if anything, it actually felt even more portentous and threatening...

The three of them were sitting on the edge of the cliff basking under the moonlight. Harry looked to his right and saw the tired faces of his two best friends. He couldn't, even for a second, believe this was _actually_ happening. He half expected for all this to be just a crazy dream and that, he would soon wake up to know that everything is, well... _just as it should be..._

However, just as the thought crossed his mind, a cold breeze blew over his face, which came as an immediate confirmation that he, indeed, _was_ awake and that this NIGHTMARE isn't really a nightmare at all!

He shook his head in disbelief.

It was over... It was ALL over! For some reason, though this was all happening in the past and though Harry knew _exactly_ how Voldemort's reign is going to end several years from now, this moment that the three of them were shoved into, felt even more unsettling and nerve-wracking, because, never before had Harry experienced the emptiness that followed Voldemort's untimely "demise". And, _by_ _god_ , was the world a completely different place! It was obvious that this temporary feeling of "peace" that had crept up since the killing spell back-fired is going to be short-lived and that he was going to come back, darker and _stronger_ in every sense of the word.

And, just like that, ALL sense of accomplishment that Harry had lived with since 1997, flew out of the window... Gone! _I mean, WHAT was the POINT of it all, godDAMMIT?!_

Everything they had thought, everything they had fought for, everything they had built, everything they had BELIEVED in, is gone— _poof!_ Just like that... Harry couldn't _believe_ his life. _I mean,_ goddamit _, one would think that after ALL that nonsense, one would deserve a bleeding 'happily ever after'; a sort of END to all the drama and the BS, but NO. I'm Harry-FRICKIN'-Potter. How could I have ever_ even _HOPED for something like that..._

 _'It wasn't easy, Harry...'_

The words of Dumbledore rang through his ears. An instant rush of emotions kicked in. Anger and shock shot through his spine as he rolled his hand into a fist in an attempt to keep him from bursting out again. _How COULD he?!_ he thought to himself. _He let them all DIE!_

His brain was imploding as several memories from his seventh year kept coming to him in flashes which made his stomach squirm uncomfortably and ball up into a tight knot. _You have been raising him like a pig for slaughter!_ came Snape's voice and a rather painful lump crept up in his throat. _I trusted him... They ALL trusted him!_ he thought to himself. _Why would he...?_

That's when it happened. Suddenly, a strange thought struck him that brought in a fog of darkness and fear; a fog as dense as a brick wall that seemed to press against his chest making it difficult to breathe. _Why should I even believe Dumbledore? Why should I believe he was on the side of 'Good'...? IS he really all that we thought he was?_

"Ron, PLEASE remind me why I bothered to pick up that _stinking_ black diary from the attic?" he mused out loud. He rubbed his temple in frustration. "Why would I ever think that me _delving_ into the past would DO US ANY GOOD?!" he yelled, indignantly.

Ron, who was sitting next to him, merely shrugged.

"Truth be told, mate?" said, Ron. "As much as you'd hate to hear it, there ARE no such things as 'accidents'," he said, not taking his eyes off of the black expanse in front of them. "Everything happens for a reason, you know."

Harry looked at Ron with a mingled expression of awe and respect. How was the bloke able to remain this calm and how was it that _he_ is holding the group together instead of it being the other way around, Harry couldn't tell.

A moment passed. Ron mutely turned to his right and took in the sight of his beautiful wife. "How I wish I could go back home to the kids..." he said, still looking at her.

Hermione didn't say anything immediately and stared on noncommittally at the vast expanse below them. "Why would you say that, Ron?" she said slowly, not daring to meet his eyes even for a second. She tugged at blade of grass while stifling a sob. Harry could sense a great amount of fear mounting up inside of her. "We're definitely going back to them," she said, nodding her head fervently.

Ron smiled. He knew exactly what she was going through. Harry, on the other hand, sensed the tension between them and wished he had his Invisibility Cloak right now.

"Come now, darling..."

"RON, NO!" she screamed and jumped up. "Don't even THINK about it, 'cause I'm NEVER going to AGREE TO THIS!" she shrieked, now crying in earnest. Ron got up too but didn't say anything. "Don't make me do this, Ron, _please!_ " she begged as stared back at him, looking flabbergasted. "I can't do this, I can't say goodbye to OUR CHILDREN...!" she cried.

"Hermione, you won't have to..."

"NO! NOOO!" she screamed. "We're going back, THIS instant!" she said, yanking at her time-turner and shakily fidgeting with it. "I'm _not_... going to listen..." she said, toying with her necklace, "to some _bespectacled_ old WIZARD and trading my life for something BETTER!" she shrieked. Just then, a sharp edge of the hook on her necklace cut her finger and drew blood. " _Honestly!_ " she yelled, and threw it on the floor in frustration.

All this while, Ron had simply stood there and watched her let it all out her system while Harry stood up and walked a little away from them, giving the two a little privacy.

"Are you done?" asked Ron _(and boy, was Harry shocked at Ron's maturity?)._

"Ron, no, no, PLEASE, no, I can't _do this_...!" she cried. "I've used this _godforsaken_ piece of instrument before and boy, do I _HATE_ IT!" she yelled, wiping the tears off her face. "Ron, time travel is the single, most HORRIBLE thing I've ever had to endure... Do you realise, the _second_ I turn this knob, we'll be thrown into a time-loop that could have _endless_ possibilities and aftermaths?! Do you have ANY idea how different things could get when we meddle with time?" she asked and had to pause for a bit as a deafening thunder rumbled above them.

"Every time I turned the clock and caught up with my classes, _everything_ changed... Ron, you don't understand... Something as insignificant as an unexpected _sneeze_ when you're in the time loop could have _waves_ of repercussions on the future!" she said, looking helplessly at him.

A tense moment passed when nobody spoke.

"Do you know why we fought so much in our third year?" she suddenly asked, now getting the full attention of both Ron and Harry. "Do you even remember the times we _made up_ after every fight?" she asked.

Ron started. A look of shock crept up in his face as he slowly shook his head.

"Every time we fought before class, or after dinner, you used to either corner me in front of the stairs, or nudged me at the fireplace when no one was looking and _apologized_..." she said, smiling and crying at the same time. "You _actually_ apologized for saying all those mean things to me and I would forgive you instantly..." she said, tilting her head to a side. "That day, right before I punched Malfoy in the nose, we'd had a massive fight and you'd sent a flying paper rocket at me, with a drawing of you hugging me. That was the moment I knew I loved you, Ron," she said, as a fresh set tears tumbled down her cheeks. "I fell in love with you that instant..."

With his mouth still open, Ron merely raised his eyebrows at this new piece of information.

"But then, I wound the clock once more to catch up with my Arithmancy classes and... it was all _gone_. The fight happened all over again and _that time_ , you stayed mad at me a lot longer than the time _before that_ ," she said. "That moment was gone, Ron, you don't even _know_ that we made up, that you actually forgave me and I forgave you," she said. "It was _because_ of the constant time-turning that you ended up remembering ONLY the fights, while I... I ended up being stuck in absolutely _nowhere_! At one point, I couldn't tell which was which! I couldn't tell the present from the past and the future from the present and... and... I couldn't tell if you liked me or hated me or... because... because each time, you... _you_ _behaved_ _differently_!"

"Shhh, Hermione, baby, come here," he said, dragging her close to him, but she pulled away saying, "No, Ron, it's too much," only to fall back into Ron's shoulder. At this point, Harry was positive that she was having a complete breakdown as she howled into Ron's shoulder, hoping to feel better. "It's too much to handle, Ron, I can't do it, _please_ don't make me do it!" she mumbled, with her head still buried in the crook of Ron's shoulder.

Harry's mouth was agape with astonishment. _Wow!_

Another cold breeze blew over the three of them that seemed to occupy the emptiness that had crept in on the cliff. Hermione tore her eyes away from Ron and looked on into the purple horizon ahead of them, looking thoughtful.

"Sometimes I wonder if we were even _meant_ to be together, Ron," she said, sadly. "There were so many times when you crossed the line with me, you know?" she said, finally locking her eyes with his. "Tons of times when you said things that were _mind-bogglingly_ cruel... Do you know, how many times, I have turned time just to see it pan out differently, hoping that _this_ time, you would be a lot kinder...? Hoping that, at least this time, you would actually hold my hand, look me in the eye and it would all be over instead of masking your emotions with your _mammoth_ of an ego...?

"I can't risk losing you, Ron, I can't risk losing what we have right now," she said, taking his hand in hers. "If I turn the clock now, I won't be _Hermione_ anymore..." she said. "I won't be the 'Hermione' who lives with Muggle parents who would receive her owl and board the train to meet you for the _very_ first time and tell you _'you have dirt on your nose!'_ " she said, wiping her face. "And who knows if you'll ever fall for a pure-blood, all brains and a bushy-haired girl called _Julianne_...? Who knows if we'll have two children and name them Rose and Hugo...? Who knows if we'll be the same people as we are _right now_...? I can't risk it, Ron, it's too much! It's _forty_ years back in time, _please_ , don't make me do this...!" she begged, as Ron slipped his hands around her and tucked her head under his chin, finding absolutely _no_ words of comfort just yet.

Harry wiped his eyes and held his waist in resignation, while continuing to have his back to them. He realized this was true for him too. Who knew how things would change in his own life? If all went well, he'd actually get to live with his parents, grow up with them, get to see Sirius more often, meet Ron as an old friend, know Ginny as a little girl, wouldn't have to bother staring at the faces of his uncle and aunt and _actually_ have a wholesome childhood... What would life be like then? Why would he feel the need to name to his children after his dead parents? Why would his life be ANYTHING like it is right now? Was he ready to trade all of this for something else...?

Ron and Hermione continued to hold each other and stood there, in the dead of the night, with one of the most important decisions they'd ever have to take in their entire life. It felt like eternity before Ron finally spoke up.

"Hermione..." he said, holding her at arm's length. A look of confusion hung around his face as he eyed her curiously. "Do you... Do you well... I mean, I've been thinking it was all a dream all this while..." he said, looking thoughtful. "But I guess it may have _actually_ happened..." he said, slowly looking up at her again.

"What is it, Ron?" she asked, curiously.

"Hermione, did we ever... I mean in our third year... Did we ever... kiss?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her, as if asking her to dismiss it off right away. "Sometime past midnight... on the windowsill of the stairway to our dorms...? No...?" he asked, watching her expectantly.

But, instead of scrunching up her nose and swatting it off, her eyes widened in surprise as she tightened her grip on him. "You remember that...?" she whispered, still not quite able to believe what he had just said. "You actually remembered that happened..." she said, covering her mouth with her hand. "How... What?" she asked, more to herself than to Ron. "How is it possible...?" she said.

"That was my most favourite dream of you and me!" he grinned, pulling a stunned-looking Hermione back into a tight hug and kissing the top of her head. "Or memory, should I say...?" he asked, gently rubbing her cheek. "Okay, Hermione, you've got to listen to me, right now," he said and looked pointedly at her (Harry definitely needed to hear this too).

"Do you trust me?" he asked. A sudden bout of realization seemed to have dawned in on him.

She looked up teary-eyed at him and, after surveying those determined and confident eyes staring back at her, slowly nodded.

"Hermione, there's a reason we're together... This life was meant for _us_... Why else would I remember an incident that took place in _one_ of your _many_ time turns when there's no way that could happen? Why would I end up married to you _despite_ remembering only our fights? True, we weren't the best of friends ever since you got Crookshanks, we fought, we went _days_ without talking to each other, we saw other people, you hurt me and I hurt you right back for it! And yet, here we are... It's almost like we ended up together _against all odds_..." he said and paused for bit.

"Baby, if there's one thing I'm confident of, it's this: if we could do it _then_ we could do it _all over again_ ," he said, looking deep into her eyes. "And, no matter _how_ many times we go back in time and play it all over again, I'll end up falling for you in one way or the other _every single time_ , and I just KNOW it! Think about it, baby, we could find each other and fall in love all over again, only _differently_! Besides," he said, flashing a wide smile at her. "I don't think any other girl would even _want_ me besides you," he said, nudging her playfully, making her finally laugh.

"Except that _bitch_ , Lavender," quipped Hermione, biting back a smile. Ron couldn't help but roar with laughter while hugging her tighter in his arms.

" _Except_ that fine woman, Lavender, yes," he corrected, grinning sheepishly at her. "We need to do this, Hermione..." he whispered, straightening up this time while tugging her hair behind her ear. "The fate of all these people depends on _us_... _Our decision_ , right here, right now... We owe it to them in a way, you know?" he said, referring to Sirius and Isabella. "Agreed, it's going to be hard as HELL but it's the only way out..."

Harry looked up at the sky as little tears pooled around the corners of his eyes. Ron was right. No one should ever have to go through what his parents had... And if this is the way it was supposed to happen, then why not? The fact that him, Ron and Hermione were unwittingly shoved to the past and the fact this was their actual purpose in life according to the prophecy should have to mean for something... right?

But... What about... _Ginny?_

Hermione took in a deep breath and looked at Harry.

"What do you say, Potter?" she called out, half smiling, half crying. Harry didn't turn immediately. He didn't want to be seen well... tearing up. "You up for it?" she asked again and this time, both Ron and Hermione walked over towards him.

Harry finally looked up when Ron held his shoulder turned him around to face him. The lump in his throat was unbearably painful at the moment.

"Just one thing..." said Harry with a lot of difficulty. "Promise me that you two will always have my back," he said. "No matter what! I couldn't well... My life couldn't have been better if not for you two..." he said and, before either of them could say anything, he hugged them both. At first, it looked like Ron was too taken aback at Harry's reaction, but seemed to soon recover from it as Harry felt his hand slowly wrapping around him and Hermione. _Hope we're doing doing the right thing,_ Harry thought to himself. _This_ had _to be the right thing... Hopefully..._

And thus, began yet another adventure.

* * *

 **A/N: Somehow I really, reeeeaally loved this chapter because I was able to bring in more depth and history to Ron and Hermione's relationship. Truth be told, when I read the books, I never really sensed the tension or, I don't know, _chemistry_ between the two of them until really late in the series. But I was sure there was more to it than what met the eye. Might do a one-shot on this sometime after I'm done with this story, I hope. So do watch this space and please, please, pleeease review. I'm dying to know what everyone thinks of the story till now :)**


	31. The Legend of The Malfoys

**This may come as a shock to many, I understand. But I hope you'll forgive me for my temporary lack of self-esteem and confidence in myself for putting up that note earlier. I'm not a quitter, I could NEVER be one, so I could obviously not quit on this story too. Thankfully, after spending a solid two months moping around in self-doubt and suffering from the legendary 'writer's block' I am back again with this mammoth of a chapter.**

 **I hope I do not let you down with this update. Frankly, I'm not sure of it myself, but it's a start and I hope to hear everyone's thoughts on the same... Thank you for being such a great audience:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 31: The Legend of The Malfoys**

* * *

 **Day 0:** OCTOBER 31, 1981 **  
**MALFOY MANOR, WILTSHIRE  
 _11.30 PM_ _(Time Warp)_

~oO

"You know the rules now," breathed Hermione, looking around nervously at Harry and Ron. "You can't be seen! Under _any circumstances_!" she said, in a hushed voice as they peered through the window in Malfoy Manor.

"Can I just tell you," started Ron, continuing to sport a scowl on his face. "I am still _boiling mad_ at you two for leaving me behind the last time you two turned time, you know?!" growled Ron.

Yes. The idiot was back and the balance in the Universe had _finally_ been restored! _Most unfortunately..._

" _Blithering barnacles_ , Ron that was _decades_ ago!" Harry whispered irritably. "Would you get over it already...!" he said, trying to turn focus back on the room that they were staring into.

" _No!_ You wouldn't know what it feels like because you never got left behind!" Ron hissed back.

Harry was beyond frustrated. It was hard to take the guy seriously especially since he looked nothing like the twelve-year-old that he was sounding like at the moment. If anything, he had merely grown to look like this giant, lanky sack of Merlin's _dung_ with no brains. _Whatsoever_!

"And you know _why?_ " Ron continued, cranking up his voice a little. "Because I wouldn't ever _dream_ of leaving my best friend out of _anything...!_ "

"Your _leg_ was broken, dungbrains!"

"Would you two knock it off?!" came Hermione's most dangerous voice that hushed them both up instantly.

After a moment's pause, however, the IDIOT that Harry was _most tragically_ stuck with decided to make matters worse by actually churning out a very delicious, " _Wudjyootoonockitawwf...!_ "

"That's right. JUST when I thought I couldn't have asked for a more mature husband!" hissed back Hermione. "Good one, Ron, really, keep this up and I won't mind driving my wand through your eye!"

"You _guys_!" hissed Harry through gritted. The two of them had been bickering ever since they left Gorgon Hill and it was setting Harry on edge. It was like Harry was back _smack dab_ in the middle of two teenagers with raging hormones who don't seem to want to stop complaining or picking up a fight every time he barely _blinked._

The three of them had spent the last hour summarising and recalling every little detail that they had learned from Sirius's memories trying to put the pieces together and making sense of it all as a whole.

And there were questions. A LOT of questions that they didn't have answers to as yet.

For example, there was the sword: Dumbledore had said the sword was sent back in time for a reason; that help was coming from the _future_. But why was it _completely_ useless on the clock tower that night? What was it really back in the past for? Surely, it hasn't travelled through dimensions and Time for no reason at all now...?

And then, there was the locket. What were they going to do about that? How were they supposed to make Voldemort destroy it himself? What would happen if the Jewel of Light actually did get destroyed? What happens when the curse did get lifted?

And then, finally, about Time and reflections... That was the hardest part. What were they to even BEGIN with? Amadeus spoke of Time as if it were a separate dimension; that they had to cut through the fabric of time to get to the other side—the less messy side. And he said the time to do that would have to be right too. But how would they know when the time was right?

And just as they were about to ponder on further, Harry had noticed something strange. The Time Turner/ Pocket Clock—it wasn't ticking anymore. Time had frozen at 11:30 PM and it was still 31st October, 1981. It was strange, especially since, Harry was _positive_ they had spent at least a good _two hours_ deliberating on the past and other details.

 _'Hermione...'_ Harry had said, pointing at the Time Turner. _'Is it broken? The Time Turner?"_ he had asked, eyeing it curiously. _'_ _Time's stopped._ _What does this mean, the hands in that clock hasn't moved an inch!'_ he had said, not caring to the hide the nervousness from his voice.

A dumbfounded Hermione eyed it nervously too. _'What in Merlin's name is happening around us? This is all so strange...'_ she had said, turning the locket in her hand. _'It's a Time Turner, it can never stop ticking!'_ she had said, as anxiety mounted inside her. _'The Time Turner is eternal, it doesn't ever stop, because_ Time _is eternal and... and... if it has stopped ticking, it could only mean the end of time or... or a_ time warp _...'_ she said to herself, completing neglecting the curious faces of Ron and Harry in front her.

Ron had thrown his hands up in the air. _'MERLIN, no! I'm getting tired of this,_ really _!'_ Ron had said.

 _'Shut up, Ron! What exactly is a time warp, Hermione? What, like, move through time-periods, that sort of thing?'_ Harry had asked.

 _'Er... I reckon so, yeah. We've been in a a time warp ever since we got dragged out of the diary and to this point in the past without us even realizing it! I have a hunch, Harry. Let's start at Malfoy Manor!'_ she had said, tugging at Ron's arm rather roughly, making him wince in pain.

And here they were, staring through the window of an empty room in the topmost floor of the mansion. Harry and Ron didn't really know what they were doing peering through the tinted glass window in Malfoy Manor but knew better than to question Hermione's instincts. And, as if bound by a sacred code, they had mutely followed her up to the top floor despite the danger of being spotted at a time when all of London was searing under the fall of the Dark Lord.

"You guys... There's a mirror at the far end of the room..." muttered Ron, tapping on the glass window. "I'm going in," he said with an air of finality before gingerly sliding the window up.

The three of them clambered in as noiselessly as possible and looked around at the vast, ghostly room that they were standing in. It was shocking how clean the place was and how... _unhomely_. The walls were lined with massive portraits of people, most probably belonging to the Malfoy bloodline while the floors were beautifully carpeted with the glorious hand-knotted carpets possibly belonging to the Georgian era.

A large and glorious bed stood in the middle of the room and the handles on it were gleaming as if they'd been polished mere minutes ago. Not a wrinkle could be found on the sheets and not a thing was out of place. Books were neatly tucked away in a small shelf above the bed and right above it was a relatively small portrait of a boy they'd known since 1991—Draco Malfoy. To the left of the bed was a long full-sized mirror that was beautifully encased in silver.

Suddenly, there was low whizzing sound that made both Harry and Ron turn and look around at Hermione. It was coming from the Time Turner. It was rotating and turning ominously making Harry's stomach churn uncomfortably. Hermione gave a sidelong glance at the mirror and took a tentative step towards it.

The whizzing quickened with every step she took. As she stepped even closer, Harry could see movement in the mirror... the reflection of her Hermione's right hand in the mirror, except, something was different. It wasn't _her hand_ that he could see being reflected back in the mirror. Thunderstruck, he held his breath as she slowly took one more side step and moved gingerly in front of the mirror before slowly daring to open her eyes.

Harry and Ron's jaws dropped.

Hermione gasped and so did her reflection, except it was not her own reflection but that of... _Draco Malfoy!_

Both Hermione and Draco continued to stare at each other with wide eyes, completely dumfounded and looking beyond shocked.

"What in the world...?" said Hermione and Draco at the same time, except Harry heard only Hermione's voice, not Draco's. "What is going on?!" she squeaked and turned left to look at Harry and Ron. In the mirror, Draco had turned to his right too and staring at Merlin-knew-what.

"Hermione!" yelped Ron, looking nervously from the mirror and back at his wife. "Why do you look like... _Draco?_ " he asked, clutching his head in astonishment. "I mean, of _all_ the people there are in this world, you chose to look like _him?!_ "

 _Don't punch him,_ please _don't punch him!,_ Harry prayed to himself while balling his hand into a fist to channel his frustration elsewhere.

Hermione, however, was clearly adopting the _ignore-and-move-on_ strategy as she quickly moved away from the mirror and scrunched up her eyebrows trying to decode the whole thing when her eyes suddenly flew open.

She ran back to the mirror and stood there motionless only to stare back at Draco who was mimicking her exact expression and movements. Slowly, very slowly, she put her hand out (and so did Draco) and inched it closer to the mirror. Harry could almost hear her heartbeat reverberate through the walls of the room as both Draco and Hermione's hands inched even closer until their fingers were touching. Hermione lingered on for a seconds more (much to the annoyance of Ron, of course), contemplating on something.

Without warning and without even thinking, Hermione suddenly jerked forward, grabbed his hand and tugged him forwards.

To Harry's utter astonishment, Draco's hand plunged through the mirror as Hermione continued to pull him towards her. Before long, his head broke through the silver barrier followed by his upper torso until he was fully pulled through the mirror to stand before them, flesh, blood and bones.

"What the hell is going on?!" he exclaimed and jerked his head backwards and seemed to be bewildered beyond expression at the fact that he was back in his room except now there were Harry, Ron and Hermione too in it.

Ron, Harry and Hermione were just as dumbstruck as Draco was as they continued to stare in disbelief. Draco was hyperventilating by now as he ran his hands over his hair and face to make sure everything was fine before lunging forwards to grab Harry by the collar and glare into his face with pure abhorrence.

"What are you doing here, _Potter_?!" he spat, shaking him vigorously.

"Draco, calm down!" yelled Hermione.

"Why are you three in MY BEDROOM?!" Draco yelled as he tightened his grip on Harry's neck. "And how could I see _Granger_ in my mirror instead of myself?!"

"I... I really don't know..." spluttered Harry.

"Harry, look out!" screamed Hermione, freaking out more than she probably should have.

"Hey! LET GO OF HIM!" yelled Ron and immediately lunged forwards to yank him away from Harry just in time to hold his hand and stop Draco's impending fist from pounding Harry's face out of recognition.

Ron. Bless him, really.

oOo- **_15 minutes later..._** -oOo

Malfoy sat on the edge of his bed opposite to the three of them, deep in thought. Ron refused to look at his face and resorted to staring at his hands instead while Harry and Hermione kept exchanging inquisitive glances at each other, not knowing how to break the silence.

But it was Draco who spoke up first.

"So you're telling me we're stuck in a time warp... that we can... _move_ between one instance to another from any time?" he asked, summarising all that had been explained to him in the last quarter of an hour.

Hermione nodded her head.

"And... And, all of us... We... We are all from the same time-period too? Third of November, 2015?" he asked, looking around at all three of them now.

Both Harry and Hermione nodded this time.

"Alright. But why am I here? What are you guys up to this time, eh?" he asked, with a tinge of irritation in his voice. "You lot were always messing around back in school, I can't believe that nearly _two decades_ later, everything's just the same!" he asked, spitting venom. "What _sorry excuse_ is it going to be this time, eh?"

"Yeah, what is he _doing_ here, Hermione? Why _did_ you bring him here?" asked Ron, sounding annoyed himself. "I mean, after all those years we spent _meticulously_ trying to cut the bloke out of our lives..."

"I'm still here, you know...?"

"...you go and pull him out of a mirror and get him _back_ into our lives?" finished Ron, not caring a bit for Draco's remark.

"Ron, _you mind_?" asked Harry through gritted teeth as if asking him to stand the hell down.

"Thank you, Harry!" said Hermione, shooting Ron a scathing look before turning towards Draco. "Malfoy, we need to talk to you about something. Well, _someone_ actually. Firstly, we are at a time which is mere _moments_ after the fall of Voldemort in the year 1981 and, let me tell you, a crazy lot has happened between the years 1977 and now that has left us shocked beyond all expression," she said. "Draco," she began, and immediately eyed Ron who looked like he was ready to punch a hole in Draco's face at the thought of him being addressed by his first name.

"There has been a major Magical monocracy _shakedown_ the size of a _mammoth_ in the history of the Ministry that the wizarding world is completely unaware of!" she continued on. "Records of entire families have been wiped out both from the Ministry records, as well from everyone's _memories_ , if you'll believe me," she said, nodding fervently at Draco. "Draco, tonight, Voldemort was able to get to the Potter's unscathed, and without any fear of being stopped _only_ because the Ministry was _by his side_!" she said.

Draco's jaw dropped. His pupils were visibly dilated, as he stared dumbstruck at Hermione, quite unable to form any words to express his thoughts at the moment.

"Yes, you heard me, he was being _aided_ by the Ministry _every step of the way..._ "

"You're MENTAL!" he bellowed.

"No! Malfoy, she's right, we saw it all happen right in front of our eyes!" cried Ron. "We saw them all die, we saw them being betrayed, we saw it all, mate," he breathed. "Never before, in the history of politics, has there been such corruption _ever_!" he yelled, grinding his teeth. "And your father was nearly _entirely_ responsible for her mother's death!" he said, this time bolting up from his chair and glaring menacingly at his face.

"WHAT ARE YOU _TALKING_ ABOUT...?"

"I'm talking about the death of Isabella Williams!" he bellowed, and grabbed Draco by his collar so that their faces were mere inches away.

"Ron, calm DOWN!" yelled Hermione.

"Wh... Hang on," Draco said, weakly. "What was the name again? I thought she was a _Granger_?"

"No, Draco, I am not a Granger. I am not a muggle-born. I was born to pure-blood parents and my mother's name really was Isabella Williams," she said.

"Isabella...?" he repeated, as a look of confusion crept up in his face. Ron let go of his robes as Draco's face scrunched up in deep concentration. And then, as if suddenly hit by a wave of revelation, his eyes flew open as he airily breathed, "Bella... _Could it be...?_ "

Harry, Ron and Hermione eyed him, brimming with suspense.

"Draco... Do you know something about Isabella?" Hermione asked expectantly.

"No, Hermione, I know nothing about Isabella Williams," he said, shaking his head and her face fell instantly. "But I have heard my father mutter something that _sounded_ like 'Bella' on well... several occasions," he said, and resignedly slumped back into an empty chair, rubbing his forehead.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down too, not wanting to interrupt his flow.

"Not sure if you've heard, but the Malfoys are what one could say, _jinxed_ , for lack of a better word," he said and looked up. "There's a saying that if one's born in the Malfoy household, one is forever bereft of love. Our family name is originally derived from an old ancestor's middle name, _Malvolia_. She was a queen of some ancient land whose husband betrayed her and her sorrow continues to haunt our family to date. The Malfoys, till date, do not form bonds or marry for love and, neither are they the happiest in their marriages... and the same was true for my father as well...

"Ever since the return of the Dark Lord, my father used to suffer from sleeplessness and night terrors so much so that, he used to wake up screaming _'Bella!'_. It was like he was obsessed with her... like he was being haunted by some gruesome memory or dream of some sort. Mum, obviously, wasn't too thrilled to hear him utter some woman's name, and that was the first crack in their marriage. Watching them drift apart affected me a lot too to a point where, in our sixth year, I confronted him about it and he'd said the oddest thing ever... Something on the lines of him feeling like a coward and how he'd never betray mum under any circumstances. It was not like he even knew why he said what he did, to be honest... And I didn't understand a word back then too, but... it all seems to make sense now," he said, eyeing them blankly.

"Wow," said Harry. "Odd, isn't it?" he asked, more to himself. "It looks like no amount of memory charms can wipe out the deep-rooted emotions one experiences in extreme circumstances, doesn't it?"

"Who is Isabella Williams, though, Potter? Why was she so important to my father?"

"He was in love with her, Malfoy. Back when they were in Hogwarts. But he lost her to Sirius Black... Yes, Sirius and Isabella are Hermione's parents," he added at the shock that crossed Draco's face.

"How much do I not know?" he asked, completely mind-boggled.

"A LOT," came Harry's response.

"Before I forget, what were you doing in front of the mirror before you got pulled into the time warp?" asked Harry, mostly out of curiosity.

"I was well... I was getting ready for my son's birthday, actually. You know, Scorpius," he said, giving Harry a knowing look.

"Of course. He's in the same year as our Rose," said Hermione, smiling a little. "Was that Astoria you were talking to when I pulled you in through the mirror?"

"Oh yes, it was. She always picks out my outfit. Very particular about how I look and present myself, you know..." he said, and Harry thought he could hear a tinge on resentment in Draco's voice.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Ron. "Where do we go from here?"

"We need to go back and change a few things," said Hermione, matter-of-factly. "We need to choose a year and time most carefully and make sure the sequences are followed so accurately that _nothing_ goes wrong in the future. It's going to be a crazy roller-coaster-ride from this second on," she said, wiping her forehead.

"Hang on, we're going to turn time?" asked Draco. "How's that possible, all Time Turners have been destroyed..."

"All, except the original copy, that is," finished Hermione, and pointed at her Pocket Clock. "The second I turn this knob, we'll be thrown into a time-loop, as wide as _forty years_ , and that's as scary as it can get!" she said, quivering a little. " _Anything_ can happen! We may or may not even return to the future _alive_ , but I'm ready to take that risk for the sake of my parents," she said, visibly shaking from head to foot. "So are we ready?" she asked, blinking back tears.

"Of course," said Harry and took her hand in his.

"Always and forever," said Ron and kissed the top of her head.

"Me too," came a third voice. All three of them whipped their heads around in shock. Draco had stood up too and walked towards them. "Me too," he repeated, more firmly this time, making Harry break into a smile. He patted him on the back appreciatively as Hermione took the clock in her hand.

* * *

 **A/N: Also please note that I have made some changes to the chapters 6, 27 and 28. You may want to consider reading them again to understand this chapter better...**


	32. The Hall of Statues

**Sorry about the delay, but here it is, all the same! :) The story is starting to heat up again and I promise there won't be a single slow chapter from here on out! Please do review and tell me what everyone thought of this chap! :)**

P.S. Thanks a MILLION for 5.308 views! You guys are simply THE BEST! Thanks a lot for not giving up on me when I myself did... :')

* * *

 **Chapter 32: The Hall of Statues**

* * *

~oOo **Time Warp** oOo~

 **Day 0:** OCTOBER 31, 1981 **  
**MALFOY MANOR, WILTSHIRE  
 _11.30 PM (Time Warp)_

~oO

Harry felt the wind get knocked out of him as he stood there, shell-shocked and rooted to his spot: they were standing in a room full of statues, frozen and locked away in time. A slow sweat trickled down his face as he drank in the sight which seemed to paralyze him from head to toe.

This was the same hall in which Harry, Ron and Hermione had witnessed the assassination of Isabella Williams, only eerier; it now looked like an ominous cemetery full of statues of witches and wizards to whom time had stopped: Death Eaters had their wands pointed towards a pitiful and bloodied body of a woman who lay motionless on the large dining table; Ministry officials who were either in the middle of sending out orders or standing guard, facing the windows of the room; the statue of a man caught in the middle of his transformation into a rat…

Harry had to admit; watching it all as a memory was one thing, but actually being here and seeing it all for real was, _truly_ , a whole other thing. If anything it actually felt more _unreal_ , more… gruesome and _prudish_ , if that was even possible.

"We keep forgetting that we're stuck in a time warp…" came a mild whisper from behind, making him jolt back to reality. For a second, Harry couldn't believe there were other living and breathing people with him in this very room, as he faintly nodded in Hermione's direction, as if to say he understood.

"Hermione, get us out of here, right away," whimpered Ron from the other end of the room. He clearly looked like he couldn't stand to look at the bloody mess that was sprawled all over the dining table. "It's like being stuck in a room full of ghosts, only _worse_!" he whispered, looking green with fear and repulsion.

And, despite his dazed state, Harry sensed trouble when he noticed Draco inching towards the frame of a wizard who was caught in the middle of a lunge towards Isabella. The wizard's face was contorted with a multitude of emotions ranging from shock to anger to trauma to downright misery. To Harry, the man looked _nothing_ like the impeccably-dressed, arrogant and proud git that was Lucius Malfoy. Draco's expression was unreadable as he continued to scan his father's face at closer proximity.

"There are tears in my father's eyes. I've never seen tears in his eyes before," Harry heard Draco whisper. He had to admit; Lucius and Draco looked almost like _twins_ from two different time-frames, except, at the moment, Draco would quite easily pass off as _Lucius's_ father owing to the reversal of their ages right about now. "Are you telling me," Draco continued, as a look of incredulity crept up in his face, "that he actually stood here and let them do that to the only girl he ever… _loved_?" he asked, looking white with shock.

This time, Ron looked up too and shrugged uneasily at Harry and Hermione.

Still looking dazed with shock, he turned around to look at the bloody, almost unrecognizable face of Isabella and tears instantly pooled around the corners of his eyes. " _He really is a coward_ ," he whispered, not taking his eyes off of the body for one second.

It was now Harry's turn to shift uncomfortably in his spot, finding absolutely no words of comfort for Draco. "Malfoy…"

"I really was raised by… by a _coward_."

"Malfoy! That's _not_ true."

"No, Potter! You don't understand, you never will!" he yelled, shaking with shock and sorrow. "All my life, I was raised to fear and cower in the name of the Dark Lord, to not _think_ or even have an _opinion_ of my own about his methods and beliefs!" he said, running a hand through his perfectly combed blond hair. "All my life, the only thing I was raised to believe was that, _I don't matter_! That I am not _worth_ it, that I am not worth their _time…_ "

"No, Draco, you were worth her _life_!" said Hermione said making him stop and turn to look at her. "Draco, he let her _die_ for you! He watched her go through all that because there was something _more_ important to him than his love for her and that was _you_ ," she said pointing at him, making him gape disbelievingly at her.

He mouthed something unintelligible and immediately shook his head in disbelief. "Rubbish! My father couldn't ever…"

"She's right, Malfoy," said Harry in a quiet voice. "They were threatening to kill both you _and_ your mother if he tried to stop them. He wasn't ready to risk it. Not for Isabella or _anyone_ for that matter. Your father's right, he _did_ sacrifice a lot just to keep you alive, you know?" he said, despite the bitterness he was feeling towards Lucius. "If anything, it makes me want to pity the man; to be torn between having to choose his family over love. You must now know exactly _why_ the memory continues to haunt him to this day."

Ron suddenly cleared his throat.

"Er… Not like we're running out of _time_ or anything," said Ron, looking around apologetically for interrupting the deeply emotional discussion the others were having, "but I really hope to get out of this hall this second, so can we move it along?" he said.

Harry nodded. "Ron's right, we have a LOT to do, except, I dunno where to begin…" said Harry, thoughtfully. "How far back do we go and what do we have to do to change history?"

"We need to go back to 1976, Harry," Hermione. "We need to go back to the time when the prophecy of the cursed pair was made…"

"And then what?" asked Ron.

"And then we need to look for clues, see what needs to be changed, do what we have to do and _not_ get _killed_ in the process," she said, matter-of-factly.

Draco's eyes widened.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Draco asked, sounding hoarse. "What if things go _horribly_ wrong in the time loop?" he whimpered, eyeing them hopefully. "What if we _do_ end up dying or splinching?!" he asked, looking around terrified.

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Remind me why we agreed to do this with a _Slytherin_?" quipped Ron, looking between Harry and Hermione with raised eyebrows. Hermione glared at him to shut up. "No offence, Malfoy, but sadly, you lot are not cut out for this kind of… _Argh!_ " he yelped, as he received a rather painful nudge to his side from Harry.

"Thank you for that," Draco nodded appreciatively at Harry, while throwing a look of disdain in Ron's direction.

"Oh, drop it, you two!" Hermione said, sounding annoyed, while frantically scanning the room at the same time. "There must be something for us to begin with, some clue…" she said, as she scanned the wand hand of Lucius Malfoy. "Something out of place, something that shouldn't be where it is at the moment… Something… Anything…" she muttered, as the other three joined her. "Oh, and remember, do not touch _anything_ ," she called out. "What's frozen in time needs to, _necessarily_ , remain that way!" she said, eyeing Ron dangerously, who was about to stick his wand in Peter's half-transformed rat nose.

Harry stifled a grin and continued to search through the hall when he heard Draco say, "Do you hear ticking?"

Everyone turned and looked around at him. He was standing close to the large granite table at the far end of the room. He put his hand to his ear and listened in more intently. His eyes darted around the room for a minute before zeroing in on the figure that lay lifelessly behind him on the table.

"It's coming from her," he said, pointing at Isabella.

"Wait!" exclaimed Hermione. "Step away, Draco, do not touch her!" she said, and leapt forwards towards the pair. Harry and Ron joined them too and soon enough, he could hear it too. A low clicking of a clock… Actually, a low clicking of _two_ clocks that seemed to be in perfect sync with each other.

"The pocket clock," Hermione whispered, eyeing the pocket in Isabella's robes. "Odd, isn't it?" she said, eyeing Isabella, looking both puzzled and intrigued at the same time.

"What is it, Hermione?" asked Harry.

"The pocket clock…" she said. "How is it both there _and_ here?" she asked, pointing at her own Time Turner / pocket clock. "Remember what Dumbledore said? Extremely powerful magical pieces of relics can travel through Time completely unaltered but can only be present in any _one_ of the time-periods. How then, is it both _there and here_?" she asked, looking at the boys for help.

Harry, Ron and Draco merely blinked back.

"We're from two _different_ times, aren't we?" she asked, this time exasperatedly pointing at Isabella and herself. "So ideally, only one of us can possess the pocket clock at any time. So, how is it both there and here, _with me?_ " she asked and looked around at the utterly unhelpful faces of Harry, Ron and Draco. "Unless, of course something has been altered…" she spoke to herself this time.

Warily, she inched closer towards her mother's body and, with a trembling hand, slowly reached into her pocket. Harry briefly saw her hand clasp around something solid before quickly pulling it out. Out, slithered a shiny and glimmering piece of gold artefact that looked exactly like Hermione's necklace. Harry's eyes darted between the clocks in Hermione's hand to her neck and saw something odd.

"The clock. Is it broken?" asked Harry, looking at the seconds hand which seemed to incessantly click back and forth instead of going all the way around.

"No, Harry, the clock won't work when we're in a time warp," she huffed, pointing at her own necklace. "Anyway, this is getting more and more problematic," she sighed and let her hand fall to her side in exasperation. "How many more puzzles do we have to solve, eh?" she asked, dropping her head to rest on Ron's shoulder.

"I'm going to try and be useful," said Ron, grinning a little at Hermione before taking the clock in his hand. He examined it for a bit before saying, "So to summarise, you're telling me there are _two_ pieces of the _same_ clock at the same time?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and went back to burying her face in his shoulder.

"Aaaand… That's a possibility only if something has been altered in either the past or the future?" he asked, to which she merely grunted.

"Okay, then, let's see what we can do with these now…" he rattled on, taking both the clocks in his hand. Harry glanced in Draco's direction and found him impatiently shifting from side to side at Ron's antics. Ron, on the other hand, didn't seem to care in the least and continued to squint at the clocks with his tongue out while Harry bit back a laugh.

After a moment, however, Ron pulled out his wand and pointed it at the clocks on his left hand. He swished his wand twice before muttering, " _Aberto!_ "

Soon enough, a bright, almost blinding light started to glow and the two clocks rose high up in the air. The four of them jumped backwards and watched on as the two clocks started to circle and rotate around each other until their movements were perfectly aligned. Harry, Hermione and Draco gaped at the spectacle with absolute wonderment, while Ron, on the other hand, nervously stared on, praying that his little spell didn't end up causing a lethal explosion of sorts and killing them all off.

The clocks now rotated faster, lashing the four of them with gusts of wind that almost threatened to shove them backwards. Moments later, Harry saw the two clocks merge and blend into each other until there was only one clock whizzing and rotating high in the air. The light now slowly started to diminish until it disappeared entirely making the clock fall and clang loudly against the marble floor. Ron let out an audible sigh of relief, glad he hadn't caused any serious damage to anyone, before turning to look at his wife.

"Ron, that was… _incredible…_?" she squealed, beaming widely at him while he bent down to pick up the clock. Draco merely rolled his eyes.

" _Still_ the tone of surprise…" Ron muttered and caught Harry's eye who was looking at him with a smug smile plastered across his face. He blushed and quickly darted his eyes off of Harry's but continued to grin shyly to himself.

"Hang on," he said, "there's something in here," he muttered, tugging at a tiny piece of parchment sticking out between the clasps of the clock. "I think she's trying to tell us something," he said. He quickly pried it open and pulled out a brown note that was neatly folded and placed in the confines of the clock. He looked up curiously before carefully unfolding it.

In neat, bold handwriting, the note read:

' _It happens in_ _1976…_  
 _Seek the boy with the Jewel of Light…  
Reflect on DESIRE and burn it bright…  
Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn…  
What is up is now down…'_

"What the bloody hell is all that about now?" huffed Ron. "What… Didn't people ever speak straight in the 70's? Honestly, did they necessarily _have_ to make everyone's lives such a living hell?!"

"Ron, she obviously, couldn't just tell us what we had to do in simple English for fear that someone else might read it?" offered Harry, making Ron turn a deep shade of crimson around his ears. "One thing's clear though…" said Harry, ignoring Ron's scowl and eyeing the parchment thoughtfully. "She wrote _'daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn'_ … That's you," he said, looking at Hermione. "She knew help was coming from the future and that that _'help'_ was you, Hermione," he said. "She somehow guessed that you'd be here to save the day," he said, and smiled at the awestruck face of Hermione.

"I wonder where they get that kind of conviction, you know?" said Hermione, turning to look at Isabella. "What made her believe that there was still hope in this world after what they did to her? What made her so sure that I would return to the past, that… that it would all be _worth it_ at the end of the day? Mothers…" she said, shaking her head slightly in wonderment. "I guess that's what makes them so damn special?" she said, as Ron put a hand around her and gave her a one-armed squeeze.

"Time to fix it," he muttered.

"How?" asked Harry. "How do we 'fix it,' Ron? Where do we even begin?" asked Harry, as excitement and angst mounted inside him like a pressure cooker.

"Beats me, you're the Chosen One, aren't you?" said Ron, shrugging innocently. "But, if you were to ask me, I'd say…"

"Hang on," Draco cut him off (Ron glared daggers at Draco). "Of course! You are the Chosen One!" he said, snapping his fingers together.

"Yes, I think we _have_ already established that," snapped back Ron. "Honestly, Draco, if you do not have anything _constructive_ to say on the matter, I'd rather you shut up…"

"JUST…" said Draco, trying to drown out Ron's bombast, "unite the Hallows!" he said, looking at Harry. "You're the Chosen One. We could start by uniting the Deathly Hallows."

Ron's mouth fell so much, Harry feared it might just hit the stone floor. Draco made sense. A lot of sense!

"I mean, no matter what time-period we're at, there's only one Dark Lord and one vanquisher, nothing changes that, so… why not?" he said, looking around expectantly.

"Brilliant," said Harry, smiling a little at Draco, only to receive a rather painful kick from Ron. "It's really brilliant, Ron, don't you see…"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he said scowling more than ever.

"So… First stop? The Forbidden Forest…" said Hermione.


	33. Stone of Resurrection

**A/N: Please pardon any errors in this chapter. I am yet to review this chap and rip it apart for you lovely readers:) I promise to edit it as soon as possible! Hope everyone likes this update:)**

 **Important Update:** There will soon be a One-Shot piece on the love triangle of Sirius, Isabella and Lucius. So, watch out for my updates! :)

P.S. Did anyone notice the change of cover for this story?! Do you like it? Hate it? Should I change it back to the previous picture? R&R please! :)

 **P.P.S. Also, a SHOUTOUT to InfernoBombz! I love you! 3 =D Thanks a TON, really, it means the world to me! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 33: Stone of Resurrection**

* * *

 **Reference Chapter:** The Silver Lining  
 **Note:** The following events took place on the same day when the Prophecy of the Cursed Pair was made after Sirius asks Isabella to marry him.

oOo~oOo

~oOo **_Time Travel – 40 Years Into The Past…_** oOo~

 **DAY 1:** DECEMBER 20, 1976  
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, HOGWARTS  
 _09:35 AM_

~oO

Four thirty-something-year-olds held on to their dear lives as Time flew past them very fast and backwards. It was indeed weird because, Harry felt like he was travelling in an open super-fast express train with the wind whizzing in his ears except, he didn't once move an inch from where they stood on the forest floor. Thousands of days and nights whizzed past them and millions of leaves fell and grew back on the tall trees of the Forbidden Forest, making him look up in awe.

And, just when Harry started to feel giddy with the force of the wind hitting his face, he felt himself start to slow down a little. Slowly, very slowly, he felt the sensation in his hands and feet return as if a dam had been opened, allowing the blood to rush back through his veins. The whizzing finally stopped as he felt solid ground beneath his feet and everything came into focus again…

They were standing in the deepest depths of the Forbidden Forest now, forty years into the past. The forest was so thick and dense in this part of the woods that, hardly any sunlight crept in through the towering trees, making it seem like late evening. A cold December breeze blew over their faces, making the woods seem damper than ever before: the winter of 1976 was the coldest ever recorded of that century.

A little ahead of them, a small clearing in the trees could be seen. Harry stared long and hard at the place. The memories that were flooding back to him seemed so fresh that, it felt like it had happened yesterday. And, instead of an empty barren patch in the woods, the place was suddenly alive and teeming with Dementors circling high above in the night sky and Death Eaters standing in a hushed silence around their Master as Hagrid struggled to break the chains of his bonds. He scrunched his eyes shut to shake off the memory of that ill-fated night and looked up once more.

"This is it," he said, quite unable to face the others just yet. "This is where it happened."

"Blimey, Harry," muttered Ron, and put his hand around Harry's shoulder. "And at _seventeen_ that too…" he said, as if he couldn't quite believe Harry's courage to walk up here all alone, and walk straight into the hands of death.

"So, it's true, what they say about the courage of Gryffindors," said Draco, as he joined Ron and Harry. "It's ridiculous, really," he said with a slight smile, staring directly at the bald patch in the forest. "I mean, no one should be allowed to be this dauntless," he said.

"Believe me, I couldn't agree more," Harry joked too, and the three of them broke off in a grin.

"Why did you drop the stone here, though? Why did you want it to be lost?"

"Because only that would mark the end to quest of the Deathly Hallows," responded Hermione from behind them. "No more Dark Wizards and no more bloodshed for three _absolutely useless_ pieces of relics!

" _Useless?!_ " exclaimed Ron, looking incredulously at her. "The Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak is _nothing_ short of…"

"Exactly why they needed to be destroyed!" she said pouting at him, while ruffling his hair. "Ironically though, here we are, once again trying to unite them all! I just hope it's still whole and intact…"

"Why wouldn't it be whole and intact? We're in the past aren't we?" asked Draco. "And the battle took place in the _future_. How could Harry have used it if it wasn't whole and intact _now_?" he asked, quizzically.

"Because, we're in a different time-period," she said, while continuing to scan the dimly-lit forest floor. "Harry dropped it here somewhere, before he went face-to-face with Voldemort. The second the stone hits the floor, it becomes omnipresent in _every other time-period_. However, imagine if in 1976, the stone got covered in ice and eventually got buried somewhere or if in 1997, it got run over and crushed by the hooves of the Centaurs? That would deem the relic destroyed in that particular time-period, wouldn't it?"

Harry glanced at Ron.

It felt like Greek and Latin to him. He didn't understand a single word of what she'd just said, but, hey, was it worth knowing the quantum physics of it all? _He thought not!_ So he decided to simply go with the flow. _'Smile-and-nod'_ is going  
to be his strategy going forward.

"There's only so much my brain can fathom, you know, darling?" Ron responded, mirroring Harry's thoughts, making the boys laugh out loud.

"My guess is," continued Hermione, although smirking widely at Ron's comment, "the stone must have been destroyed during the battle, but since it has advanced magical properties and because it is the Stone of _Resurrection_ ," she said, kneeling down next to an extroadinarily fresh and brightly-coloured corncockle flower bush, "it never really ceases to exist. Or _amaze_ ," she added, parting open one of the pink flowers and beckoning the others to look at what she's holding.

Harry's eyes almost jumped out of its sockets. There, in the centre of the flower, along with the polen, was a tiny shred of the blood-red resurrection stone! A moment later, Harry realized that, every flower in the thick bush had either one or multiple little shreds of the stone suggesting that, the several little pieces of the stone has, in fact, resurrected a dead plant and had grown into the plant itself.

After the few customary exchanges of ' _Oooh's'_ and ' _What?'_ and ' _this-is-incredible,'_ Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco quickly started plucking the little pieces out of every flower and every leaf until they had more than a hundred of them all piled into Hermione's palm.

"Do we know how to fix this?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"No we don't, but I know someone who might!" she said, pouring the contents into a tiny velvet pouch before beaming at the boys. "And he's in there," she said, smiling gleefully while pointing in the direction of Hogwarts. "Now, for the last time, you know the rules…"

"WE CANNOT BE SEEN, _we know_!" roared Harry and Ron at the same time.

"I'm just saying be careful! Remember what we're dealing with!" she said, flailing her hands defensively. "It's the Marauders for heaven's sake! Who knows what mischief they could possibly be involved in at any given point?!"

Harry grinned at her. She was right, his father and his friends were just as nosy and adventure-seeking as he and his friends had been during their time here. "Alright, alright, fine! You're right," he said, giving her a thumbs-up ( _"Gryffindors!" muttered Draco_ ). "What are we waiting for then? Let's go!" he said, tossing his head to a side.

The four dashed their way out of the thick, damp forest towards their school. It felt great to even be here in the school that had meant the world to Harry. He realized he couldn't stop smiling for one second as the four of them skipped and jumped over thick overgrowth of roots and branches in the woods. He felt alive again; young again; and completely free.

What made the experience all the more interesting and far too unnatural, however, was the fact that, _Draco Malfoy_ was strutting about the forest alongside the three of them trying to help them on their mission. Growing up, Harry was of the impression that, if there was one person he personally had unresolved and irrevocable issues with, it was Malfoy. In all honesty though, at this present moment, he somehow did not feel any deep-rooted resentment or hatred for this Slytherin heir, like he had expected. In fact, he could tell with a mild sense of surety that neither did Malfoy… If anything, it felt more like meeting an old friend from the days of war and telling them, ' _We made it out alright, eh?'_ All in all, it felt oddly good  
to be sharing this unspoken word of respect and camaraderie with his so-called arch nemesis.

"Exactly what are the Marauders up to right about now, Hermione?" Ron huffed, cutting into Harry's thoughts.

"Potions… I think!" came Hermione's strained response.

The group had been running for about thirty minutes now and were almost at the edge of the forest. However, the woods had been so cold that every time Harry breathed, it felt inhaling iron nails that cut through his throat and pierced his lungs to the point of internal haemorrhage!

He motioned for the group to halt as he placed his hands on his knees and breathed heavily. Draco seemed more than happy to stop running too as he paused next to Harry, nursing the stitch on his side. "We… Are so foolish!" Harry panted. "We can't just… _waltz_ around the castle looking like this!" he said pointing to his black polo-neck jumper and blue jeans. "If we need to be invisible, we need to blend in. We need to dress up as students," he said and looked around.

"Yeah, alright, let's go then!" Draco said, impatiently beckoning the group to keep moving.

"Go where, where can we find school robes?" said Ron.

"The Slytherin House common room, of course!" he said, casually shrugging his shoulders. "What, do none of your common rooms have extra robes?" he asked, looking at the shocked faces of the other three.

"Why did you lot keep extra _school robes_ in your common rooms?" asked Ron, incredulously.

"Well, to change mid-day of course! What did you expect, for us to waltz around in filthy robes from the morning?! Come on!" he said, running towards the castle without looking back ( _"Slytherins!" said Ron, before jogging after Draco_ ).

oOo~

THE DUNGEONS, HOGWARTS _  
_12.30 PM

A shrill bell thunders through the dungeons, marking the end of class before lunch. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco peer nervously through the gap in a broom cupboard, waiting for students to arrive so that they may 'blend in' and snoop around for clues. Harry had to admit: it felt great to be wearing these neatly pressed and fresh school robes one more time! He felt like a student again (the four of them practically did look like students what with their mighty good looks and toned bodies).

A scurry of shoes and robes could be heard as students slowly started marching out of their potions class.

"…he's been acting odder and odder, I tell you," came a girl's voice, as she and her group of friends headed closer to the broom cupboard where the four of them were hiding. Other students squeezed past them, giving them annoying looks; there was clearly no room in the tunnel whatsoever.

"If you ask me, I think he's a complete _lunatic_ and you need to stay the hell away from him!" came another girl's voice. She sounded angry and irritated about something. "I mean, _honestly_ , the bloke has been _obsessed_ with you for six years. _Six years_ , Lily! Don't you think it's a tad bit scary?" she asked.

"Wrong line of reasoning, Alice!" said the third girl. Harry realized that was Isabella. "Because, so did James!" she said, smirking at the red face of Lily ( _"Stop it, Izzy!"_ she whispered, patting her hand lightly).

"There's a difference, Izzy, come on!" said Alice. "I just _know_ there is. True, both James and Severus have been fixated on our dear friend here for ages but… James's feelings for her is pure _love_!" she said and paused to wriggle her eyebrows at the steadily reddening face of Lily. "Severus, though… He's a stalker! He _stalks_ her, Izzy, and that's mighty creepy, in my opinion," she said.

"You know what, you're right, Alice," said Lily, looking resigned. "I mean, during our Hogsmeade trip last weekend, I felt like I was constantly being watched by someone wherever I went," she said. "And when we stopped at the Three Broomsticks for butterbeers, I saw him. It was Severus, he had followed us everywhere we went!" she said, sounding terrified.

"Thank god for James, though," Isabella continued to tease Lily. "I mean, if not for his fiery temper and fists of iron…"

"And a heart of pure gold…" Alice added slyly, while looking up dreamily.

"We would _never_ have gotten rid of Snivelly that day…" laughed Isabella.

"Don't call him that, Izzy, he's still my very good friend, you know?" she said.

"Good friend or not, he needs to get the message, Lily," Isabella said, wisely. "If you're not interested, you're not interested. He _needs_ to accept that," she said.

"And not stalk the life out of you until you cave and say yes to him!" Alice said, firmly, making Isabella and Lily break into hushed grins.

Back in the broom cupboard, Ron rolled his eyes at the conversation making Hermione giggle mutely before she mouthed, _'Girls,'_ and shrugged apologetically. Draco and Harry couldn't help but snigger at Ron's expression of disgust.

Just then, the girls were approached by a group of tall, bulky Slytherin boys.

"What do we have here?" came a slow jeer from of the tallest boys of the group.

"The Gryffindor jackpot, I'd like to think," said Lucius, smiling wickedly at the girls. "I must say, I agree with the saying. Aren't all Gryffindor girls totally _lush_?" he said, running a finger down Isabella's face which she slapped away immediately.

Craning his neck above Hermione's head, Harry saw that he could see the faint outlines of James, Sirius and Peter at the far end of the tunnel, deep in discussion.

"Leave us the hell _alone_ ," warned Isabella, who had stepped in front of her friends.

"Oh I'd be glad to be alone with _you_ ," one of the shorter boys jeered. Isabella rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Lucius, do _not_ , for goodness' sake, act like the third-rate Slytherin _scum_ that your dear friends here are!" she said, grinding her teeth at the boy who'd said that. The other boys scoffed and huffed mockingly, as if they couldn't believe she had just compared them all to trash.

"Excuse me?!" he retorted, stepping closer to Isabella. "Did you just _insult_ my friends?" he said, raising his eyebrows at her.

"You call _them_ friends?"

Lucius cocked an eyebrow "Let me educate you, _Bella_ , the _'friends'_ that you have over there," he said, pointing at the Marauders, "can't even so much as take a _pee_ without making the weekly Gryffindor _newsletter_!" he hissed, inching as close to Isabella's face as possible.

Draco simply smirked at his father's remark.

Isabella didn't move an inch but glared right back at him. "They are _nothing_ like you," she snapped, eyeing him dangerously.

"And I couldn't agree more!" Lucius scoffed, hi-fiving the other Slytherins who kept sniggering in the background. "I wouldn't exactly classify myself under the category of sorry _tosspots_!" he spat out, making the others roar with laughter.

At that split second, a lot of things happened at the same time: Draco slapped his hand to his face to muffle the sneeze he had been holding in for the last 5 minutes now. The sneeze however, was audible enough to make Alice's head turn in curiosity. Hermione's eyes widened as she panicked, causing her fall into Harry which, in turn, made him bump hard against the cupboard walls.

Alice was positively panicking now as she nervously eyed the broom cupboard. The others hadn't noticed any of this. Fear struck the four of them as Alice started walking towards their broom cupboard. Ridden with panic, Hermione quickly put a _Muffliato!_ spell around them, yanked the door open, caught hold of Alice's hand, pulled her in and shut the door behind her, all in under _three seconds_!

"The time's ticking for you mudbloods!" said Lucius, and other boys laughed in agreement and moved closer to the girls.

Meanwhile, inside the broom cupboard, Hermione and Ron wrapped their hands tightly around Alice's mouth, making sure no sound escaped her mouth. Hermione quickly mouthed an incantation that abruptly put Alice in a deep sleep. Draco held her upright and held his breath.

"You two better stay away from the dungeons or you might just find yourselves writhing in pain…" continued Lucius, maliciously licking his lips.

 _'Sirius, wait, we'll be outnumbered! Don't do anything stupid, mate!'_ Harry heard the faint voice of James from the other end of the tunnel. He was sure this is exact second when Sirius would…

 _BAM!_

Sirius's blasting curse thundered through the broom cupboard, forcing Harry to cover his ears. The floor under Harry's legs shuddered as the other Slytherin boys jumped out in surprise and made a dash out of the tunnel.

 _"Expelliarmus!"_ screamed Sirius and soon, all Harry could hear was a lot of feet shuffling, bodies being thrown to the ground, a lot of wrestling, boys grunting and about a hundred punches being hammered on Lucius's poor face.

"Sirius, STOP it! _Stop it!_ " shrieked Isabella as Lucius screamed, " _Stupefy!_ " which was followed by more noises of bodies falling thud to the floor.

A little bit more wrestling took place before Sirius's ' _Argh!'_ was heard indicating the stab he sustained from Lucius's wand. When the confusion was becoming too much for Harry's mind to gauge, Lily finally did a sweeping motion with her wand ultimately, immobilizing everyone in the passage.

Harry's heart started to beat fast again as he realized they haven't yet replaced Alice back in the scene. _Hermione!_ he mouthed. Alice! _What do we do with Alice?!_ Hermione mutely nodded, as she quickly pulled a drop of Alice's memories, removed the sleeping spell too and quietly slipped her back into the corridor. Alice slowly stirred awake, while swaggering a little before full jerking awake.

"What happened?" she whispered to herself, scanning the tunnel for a split second, before staggering her way towards Isabella.

"Alice! Where were you?" she asked, but was immediately cut short by Lily's voice.

"Sirius, are you completely out of your mind?!" scolded Lily. "That is NO way to treat a person, no matter how horrible he may be!" she said, eyeing Lucius with complete repulsion. "Besides, you have any idea how many House points that could've cost us?!"  
she yelled, as she moved towards Peter and James and un-stunned them.

"Lily, you _really_ need to get your priorities right, you know that, sweetheart?" said James, rubbing the back of his head, while allowing himself to be pulled up by Lily (as soon as he got to his feet, though, James stole a quick peck on Lily's cheek, making her eye him amusedly).

"James, do NOT encourage him!" said Isabella, as she lifted the immobilizing spell. Sirius and Lucius stirred back to life as the spell wore off. Lucius's face looked like a red Quaffle and seemed quite unable to even move a muscle, let alone talk. "You're lucky you had Lily here today, you know that?" she said, stabbing Lucius with her most piercing look.

" _Mighty_ lucky," spat out Sirius, but immediately shut up when Isabella turned to look at him instead with raised eyebrows.

She swiftly moved towards Lucius and bent down next to him. "Come on, let me take you to the Hospital Wing," she said, tugging at Lucius's arm and getting him up on his feet.

"Er, _hello?!_ " bellowed Sirius, eyeing her incredulously. Quite truthfully, his expression mimicked that of a three-year-old who had been most unjustly denied candy. "Do you NOT see the blood spilling out of _my face_?!" he demanded, pointing a finger at his right cheek.

A smirk escaped James's mouth which he quickly covered up with a fake clearing of his throat.

Isabella's face was red with fury now as she eyed him unforgivingly. "James, could you handle Malfoy while I deal with this over-sized _baby_?!" she yelled, grabbing hold of Sirius's collar. Sirius could _not_ have looked more frightened than he did right now.

"Yes ma'am!" James squeaked and nervously caught hold of a dying Lucius.

"And I'll go sort things out with Severus," said Lily, pulling Alice by her hand.


	34. The Prince's Tale

**A/N:** Yes, I hate myself too, for taking so long to post this update. :/ I'm extremely sorry for taking this long, but work has been CCCC-RRRAAAAZY and I just want to kill myself. :/ Anyway, more on this chap: This one has been, by far, one of the toughest chapters to key in as it involves the extremely complex relationship between Snape and Evans. I have worked really hard at nailing it while trying to keep it as canon as possible. I hope you all enjoy it too! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 34: The Prince's Tale**

* * *

 **Reference Chapters:** The Silver Lining/ The Cursed Pair  
 **Note:** The following events took place on the same day when the Prophecy of the Cursed Pair was made after Sirius asks Isabella to marry him.

 **Backstory Recap:** Immediately after the little incident in the dungeons, Sirius and Isabella head back up to the Gryffindor common room to fix his face, while James and Peter head down to the Hospital Wing along with Lucius to get him admitted for the night. At the same, Dumbledore was seen spending the evening at the Hog's Head, waiting to hear what the old hag had to say to him. Amidst heavy winds and thundershowers, the prophecy of the Cursed Pair was made at exactly the same time as when Sirius proposes to Isabella back in the Gryffindor common room. Almost at around the same time is when the following scenes take place.

oOo~oOo

 **DAY 1:** DECEMBER 20, 1976  
THE BACK ENTRANCE, HOGWARTS  
En-Route to The Owlery  
 _01:15 PM_

 _~o_ ** _Ron's POV_** _o~_

Thick, black clouds blanketed the castle grounds, making it look like it was late evening already. A loud crack of thunder rumbled and echoed through the walls, sending shivers down Ron's spine. Unconsciously, his hand found Hermione's, making her smile back reassuringly at him.

"Why don't you just let it go, Lily?" they heard Alice yell over the rumble of the thunder that shuddered through the corridor. "It's not like you owe him an explanation! Him turning over to the Dark side is NOT your fault, so please, for heaven's sake, would cut yourself some slack?!"

Another loud thunder crackled and echoed through the walls, this time leaving behind an eerie roar as that of doom itself. It looked like the skies were going to burst open any minute now.

Ron and Hermione had been following the two girls for the last quarter of an hour now, plodding down one quiet corridor after another, until they finally reached the back entrance of the castle where the Owlery stood tall. The school robes that they had stolen from the Slytherin House common room helped them to blend easily and move about unnoticed and without drawing too much attention to themselves. Ron made a mental note to remind Harry about stealing James's Invisibility Cloak too sometime as he tiptoed after Lily, making sure he and Hermione were maintaining a safe distance from the pair of sixteen-year-olds.

After the incident in the dungeons, Harry had suggested that the group split up and look for clues in different places at the same time, lest they miss out something important. So, it was decided that Ron and Hermione would follow Lily and see how it went with Snape while Harry and Draco would try and unite the Hallows.

"Alice, you don't understand!" yelled back Lily, as another louder thunder drowned her voice entirely. "It _is_ my fault! Alice, he _begged_ me to help him! _Begged_ me to pull towards the Light, lest he'd get lost forever! And… And I _wasn't_ there for him when he needed a friend the most and that makes a _very_ _bad person_!" she shrieked, breathing heavily.

Finally, a large cloud bubble burst open, sending down a _sheet_ of rain that lashed against the stone pillars and walls.

" _Please_ try and understand, Alice," Lily continued, as she walked faster. "He's my oldest and closest friend and I need to know if he's fine; that he's doing fine…" she said, as her face and feet got splattered on by the rain that poured in through the open archways.

"Even after what he said to you last year?" Alice asked stopping short in her tracks, her tone dripping with rage and astonishment. Ron quickly pulled Hermione behind a pillar and held his breath as Alice continued to seethe. "Honestly, Lily, _where is your sense of self-respect…?_ "

"Alice, _please_!"

"No, don't _'Alice-please'_ me, now, Lily, I am your friend and I _need_ to take care of you, whether you like it or not!" she yelled as her voice echoed down the stone corridor. "Aren't you able to tell for yourself when something's a lost cause?" she said.

Lily didn't say anything for a long time and simply stood there, chewing on her bottom lip, as self-doubt and anxiety consumed her once more. The sound of rain roared through Ron's ears as he and Hermione waited with bated breaths.

A moment's pause later, however, Lily seemed to have made up her mind. "I'll see you for after lunch, Alice," she said. Alice opened her mouth to protest, but Lily cut her in immediately. "JUST… trust me, okay? I promise to not do anything silly. I just want to talk to him…" she said, and looked expectantly at Alice.

Alice was clearly disappointed but, eventually gave in. She nodded reluctantly and hugged her friend goodbye before heading towards the Great Hall for lunch.

Lily stood on top of the steps for a long time, allowing the rain to gently wash away all the worry and concern from her face. It looked like she was buying as much time as possible before her final confrontation with Snape. Ron knew that she had avoided him for more than a year now after Snape had called her a _"Mudblood"_ in her fifth year and realized exactly how difficult it must be for her to put it all aside now and face him one more time. Breathing deeply, Lily finally mustered up the courage to do what she came for.

Bracing herself from the rain, she ran towards the Owlery, closely followed by Ron and Hermione.

In the distance, Ron he could see the black silhouette of a young Snape gazing into the vast expanse of green in front of him. His robes fluttered and flapped in the wind that swept through the open archways of the Owlery. Lily, Ron and Hermione were soaking wet as they reached the ancient stone building. Ron and Hermione slid behind Lily and perched themselves under a window so that they don't miss a word of what Lily had to say to Snape.

 _"I find them mighty toxic, these two, you know?"_ Ron whispered in Hermione's ear, making her go _"Shhh…"_

"Sev?" Lily called out uncertainly.

Snape didn't turn and continued to stare at the rain that lashed the old stone building.

"Severus!" she called out again and this time, Ron saw his head jerk just a little, as if he was acknowledging her.

"How did you find me here?" came a soft, yet gloomy voice of Snape.

Lily paused at first and didn't say anything. Fear and hesitation nearly eating her up alive. "Well, you…" she began. "I didn't see you in Potions class today and I… I thought I might just find you here… Sev, listen I… I just wanted to talk to you… Wanted to tell you that I… That I'm…"

"Sorry?" he finished the sentence for her while continuing to have his back to her. "Exactly _what_ are you apologizing for, Lily?" he asked, this time turning his head to face her. A blinding crack of lightening suddenly struck, lighting up the tiny for a split second.

Ron's eyebrows shot up in shock as soon as his eyes fell on Snape's face. Haggard and beat, with dark circles under his bloodshot eyes, it was hard to believe Snape was still alive and breathing! It was only when Snape fully turned around to face Lily did Ron realize how much weight he had lost and how lifeless he looked as he leaned against the wall for support.

Lily gasped in shock looking at the Snape's state.

"What are you apologizing for, Lily?" he continued, this time sounding more menacing and dangerous than ever before. "For _shunning_ me for a _whole year_ because of some stupid _word_ that I used on you?!" he rasped, making her jump back in shock.

"Severus, that's not fair," she protested, despite looking ridden with guilt. "You… You used the _unforgivable_ word on me _just because_ …"

"And I _begged_ you for forgiveness, Lily!" he spluttered out, as his eyes glinted with tears. "I followed you around for _six months_ trying to convince you… _Begging_ you to believe that I'd changed, that… I would never hurt you again, but you…!" he said, pointing a shaking finger at Lily. "You won't even _look_ at my face!" he spat as his sorrow-ridden eyes turned a deeper shade of red.

"Sev, I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking straight and… and…" she stuttered, as she searched for the right words to say but, nothing seemed befitting enough to salvage the withering bond between her and Snape.

"I told you I needed _HELP_!" he yelled, this time clearing choking and shaking with sorrow. "Would you even let me explain the fact that I was, in fact, _bullied_ and _coerced_ into saying and doing things by Black and Lestrange because they wanted me to _conform_ to the laws of the _Dark Side_?! Do you have ANY idea how bad it gets in the Slytherin House common room every other night? I was put on the hot seat _night after night_ and questioned and tortured because I was close to a _Gryffindor_ —YOU!" he yelled, glaring at Lily through bloodshot eyes.

"Did you know that I was FORCED to call you a Mudblood because otherwise, Mulciber was going to punish _you_ later in the day?!"

"Oh, _Severus_ …!" spluttered Lily, amidst tears. "Sev, I didn't know…"

"Of course you didn't. How would you, Lily?" he asked, as tears poured down his chin. "You wouldn't even let me explain… I was alone and scared, trapped inside my own dorm night after night…" he wept. "Ever feared for your _life_ as you walked through these corridors, wondering how it would be if your dorm-mates found out that you are, in fact, a _HALF_ -blood, Lily?!" he cried, as his eyes pierced through the shocked face of Lily.

"Severus, what are you saying…?" she began, absolutely dumb-struck by Snape's words.

"I thought you were my friend," he weeped.

"Sev, I _am_ your friend!"

"No, you're not, Lily," he said quietly and looked up. Their eyes locked for the first time since Ron and Hermione got to the Owlery. The sadness and sense of betrayal that hung in Snape's eyes made it far too painful for Ron, as he felt himself feeling sorry for the miserable and lonely young boy. "You were never my friend, because the Lily _I_ know would have never left my side…" he said, shaking as he spoke.

Lily and Snape simply stood there, staring at each other, all rain and thunder showers forgotten for the time being at least.

"You didn't even realize that we were drifting apart because, you were too busy playing hide-and-seek with _Potter_ ," he said. "You were so caught up trying to ward off that swine, you actually lost sight of _me_ , Lily!" he cried. "You abandoned me when I needed you THE MOST…"

"Because… Because, I got _TIRED_ of helping you!" she screamed, out of nowhere.

A dead silence ensued as the noise of the rain took over. Snape's mouth hung open at what Lily had just said. He couldn't believe she had actually said that.

"What…?"

"I got tired, Sev. I couldn't DO it anymore!" she cried. "I didn't have any energy left in me to keep dragging you out of your dark place, because you were depressed EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! All you EVER did was whine and crib and snap and jeer _every_ time I tried to be nice to you and… and I don't think I _deserved_ that kind of treatment…" she cried. "I was your friend not your _SLAVE_ …?!" she yelled, balling her hands into a tight fist. "Being a Slytherin does _NOT_ make you superior to me or to _ANYONE_!"

"Lily, I _never_ thought that of you…"

"But, that's not how you treated me, Sev…" she wept. "You treated me like _filth_!" she squealed. "You had NO respect for me, no matter HOW hard I tried! Can you _imagine_ my disappointment when my BEST FRIEND had no respect for me but that good-for-nothing _Potter_ …"

"…treated you like a princess," Snape whispered, finishing that sentence for her.

His mouth had gone dry, his pupils dilated. Reality had finally hit him. Waves of shock shuddered through his body as he finally realized his mistake: Lily left him not because of Potter; Lily left him… because of _him_!

"What have I done…" he whispered, as his eyes searched hers, longing to see to see the lie he had, so foolishly, believed for five years. The truth hit him hard, as he sank down on his knees. It looked like the reality was far too much for him to handle. "I've… I've lost you forever…?" he breathed, as his dazed eyes wandered around the Owlery looking for some way to make the hurt stop. "I've lost you forever!" he cried, as his hands dug into his hair.

"Severus, I'm right here…" she said, softly, trying to get him to see the truth. "I could never let you go, Sev, I'm your best friend!" she said, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I abandoned you, I shouldn't have…" she said, wiping her face. "I didn't realize how bad your life was… I didn't realize what you were fighting _every day_. Being a Slytherin shouldn't have to be so hard…"

"It just _is_ , though, isn't it?" he said, looking up at her with dead eyes. "The Slytherin _never_ gets the Gryffindor, does he?" he sobbed. His lower lip quivered uncontrollably, making Lily sink next to him on the dirty stone floors of Owlery too.

"Don't be silly, Sev," she said, now crying in earnest. "You could never lose me as your friend…" she said, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "I'll always be here…"

"Will you?" he asked, finally looking up expectantly at her. "Will you be my best friend and soul mate _for life_ , Lily…?"

"Sev…"

"Will you walk beside me down the aisle? Will you be there by my side fighting against the world? Will you love me, Lily…?" he asked, as rivulets of tears rolled down his face.

"Sev, I… I'm… I'm so sorry, Severus…" she sobbed, and took his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry to have to say this to you, but I… can't… I… It was always James, Severus… He was mean, he was nasty, he was IMPOSSIBLE, but it was always him!" she cried and dug her face into his neck. "Don't hate me, Severus, please don't hate me… Nothing's changed otherwise, really… We will ALWAYS be in each other's lives till the end of time, I promise," she said, and looked expectantly up at him.

But Snape wasn't paying attention to her. He merely sat there, staring into the distance. Ron only now realized the rain had died down quite a bit. An eerie calm was slowly creeping up on the little rocky hill on which the Owlery stood tall. Snape hadn't moved an inch as all hope evaporated from his eyes. There were no more tears left.

"Sev…? Listen to me, Severus!" Lily called out, shaking him roughly to get him out of his reverie. "I'm never leaving your side… _ever again_! I'm always going to be there for you… Sev? Severus, LOOK at me!" she yelled as desperation took over.

No answer. It looked like Snape had literally died a little on the inside.

"True love is about letting go, Lily…" he whispered. "If I truly love you, I must… Let you go," he muttered. Snape looked deep into her emerald green eyes. "Such beauty…" he whispered, almost drowning under her gaze. "How I wish I could, one day, just die looking into those eyes...?" he said, as he bit back a tear. "If only…"


	35. The Jewel of Light

**A/N:** Please forgive me for any glaring grammatical errors. I have not had the time to read through this chap AT ALL, because I somehow just wanted to get this published for all you lovely readers. I've made you wait for too long and this is my way of saying "I'm sorry" :) To be honest, I am kind of nervous about this chapter because this one has one such controversial theory that is widely believed but seldom spoken of. Please do send in your reviews (I don't care even if you guys hate it, I just want to hear from you all)! I love you all! 3 :)

* * *

 **Chapter 35: The Jewel of Light**

* * *

 **Reference Chapters:** "The Silver Lining" & "The Tale of the Locket"

 **Backstory Recap:** Dumbledore looked haggard and aged with worry. He had been walking at a strangely faster pace than usual, drunk with anxiety. Thick, black clouds blanketed the tiny village, making it look like it was late evening already. A loud crack of thunder rumbled and echoed through the nearly empty streets of Hogsmeade, making Harry gasp with a start.

* * *

 **DAY 1:** DECEMBER 20, 1976  
THE HOG'S HEAD, HOGSMEADE  
 _01:15 PM_

 ** _Harry's POV_**

Harry and Draco were peering in through the filth-ridden bay windows as the wind and rain howled about their ears. The dimly lit inn made it even more difficult to see what was happening inside, as Harry and Draco held on to their dear lives.

Harry could faintly see Mother Medea dropping the orb from her hand. The muffled sounds of glass shattering were heard and, in an instant, an avalanche of smoke hurtled towards Harry and Draco and clouded their vision entirely. Suddenly, a high-pitched, eerie, almost inhuman voice, thunders through the walls of the inn:

 _"The fabled unison of the cursed pair…  
Wedded for life for the seventh time…!  
Ripples of Dark do wreak despair…  
Seven times doth the clock chime…!_

 _Born of lust, Son of spite, Evil doth rise…  
Ally and friend, the Dark Lord He will defy…!  
Cursed be their fate, sacrifice be their price…  
One last time, the knot He doth tie…!_

 _Four decades hence, the fruits be borne...  
The change of Fate with a whip of Time...  
Daughter of Love, sacrifice and thorn...  
Seven times doth the clock chime..."_

A deafening thunder crackled above, making Harry warily eye the clouds, as if, half expecting the sky to come crashing on his head. Wet and cold, Harry fervently wished Dumbledore would come out soon and meet with them already.

For a long time, there was no sign of Dumbledore or the old witch. Suddenly, however, the door to the inn burst open and an anxious-looking Dumbledore stormed out into the dark, rainy evening. Harry and Draco, who were initially thrown out of their skin at Dumbledore's exit, quickly exchanged glances before prancing after their headmaster. Dumbledore clearly hadn't noticed the two of them spying through the bay windows.

"Professor!" Draco called out.

Dumbledore stopped short in his tracks and did not turn around immediately. It looked like Draco's voice had startled him to a point of absolute shock. Slowly, very slowly, he looked over his shoulder as Harry and Draco caught up with him.

And just when Dumbledore's eyes met with Harry's, another really loud thunder boomed down the alley, making them all shudder. "It's like they always say," said Dumbledore, looking dumbstruck and relieved at the same time, as he looked down upon the faces of his future students. "Even in the darkest of times, help is _never_ too far away. If only one looked hard enough," he said, placing his hands on either sides of Harry and Draco's shoulders, " _'help'_ would never fail them!" he said, before breaking into a light chuckle.

"Professor…"

"No, Harry, not here," the old man interjected. "Follow me," he said quietly, albeit smiling broadly at the two of them and led them towards an old, battered-looking cottage which looked like it hadn't been occupied in over thirty years.

Dumbledore quickly lit up a candle and placed it on the table between him and the boys before settling down opposite to them. Perhaps it was the effect of the dim light in a dingy and smelly little cottage, complemented by the sounds of a heavy storm lashing against the rotting walls of the house. All in all, to Harry, the whole setting suddenly made it look like he was some big-time drug lord who was plotting his great escape out of the country past uniformed officers of the NCA.

"So," said Dumbledore, rubbing his hands together. "Here we are, the moment of truth," he said, smiling calmly at the two of them. Draco, Harry noticed, had crossed his legs and sat there with an air of arrogance and authority that made even Harry a little uncomfortable. "Who would have thought that there would come a time when I'd see Harry and Draco running around the streets of Hogsmeade without cursing each other to death?" he said, chuckling softly.

Harry smirked and added, "Not me, definitely," he said, and the two of them broke into a light grin. Draco, on the other hand, merely huffed and continued to stare down at Dumbledore as if he was nothing but filth. Dumbledore remained unperturbed, though.

"But I always knew," continued Dumbledore, and Harry suddenly saw a flash of anxiety cross the old man's face once again. "Like I always say: Help will always be given be given at Hogwarts… Even to _me_ , as it would seem," he said, smiling politely and staring directly at Harry and Draco. "To be honest, though, I wasn't entirely sure if Hermione would respond to my cry for help. It was, indeed, _cruel_ of me to have even made the suggestion, because, I know only too well just _how_ difficult it would be for a mother to do something that would, inherently, jeopardize the very _existence_ of her children. She is, _truly_ , one of the greatest witches of your generation," he said, shaking his head rather sadly.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride up until here, Professor, I'm not going to lie," said Harry, making Dumbledore and Draco eye him curiously. Ignoring their inquisitive looks, Harry continued, "Anyway, we came looking for you with something rather important," he said, nervously fidgeting in his pocket and pulling out the tiny velvet pouch with the little shards of the Resurrection Stone. "We need to get this fixed in time before I finally meet Voldemort one more time in this realm, Professor," he said, his voice oozing with determination. "We're going to try and unite the Deathly Hallows before I go up against Voldemort once more."

Dumbledore simply stared back, looking both shocked and impressed with Harry and Draco. "My, am I impressed with the speed at which your little group is cracking down on this case, Harry," Dumbledore said, as he carefully pocketed the pouch in his robes. "However, I'd suggest dropping the mission of uniting the Hallows for the time being…" he said, staring away thoughtfully. "I have something else planned with the Stone that I would need your help on, Harry. More on that later, though. There's a lot more that needs to be done which requires our immediate attention and I'm here to guide you on your next mission," he said.

"Finally," Draco let out, as a tinge of sarcasm shot through the room. "I've had enough of the little riddles and maze games you've been planting for us collect and decode like we're some sort of _bloodhounds_ on a mission," he spat out, making Harry raise his eyebrows at Draco's insolence. Dumbledore merely continued to smile, seeming completely unruffled by Draco's words. "First things' first though… What am _I_ doing here? Why did you send _me_ here for this little excursion?" he asked, slapping his hand rudely on the table.

"Huh?" started Harry. " _Dumbledore_ sent you here…?" Shock and curiosity seemed to trickled down his face as he slowly turned to look at Dumbledore for answers.

Dumbledore calmly stared back at Draco's face, not revealing anything, making it that much more difficult for Harry to read his expression. "Many things you are, Draco, but a _liar_ is not one of them. Tell me, dear boy, why do you _think_ you're here?"

It was like someone had slapped him because Draco immediately went blank for a second. All the blood seemed to drain fast from his face, as he looked around distractedly, quite unsure how to answer the question. Harry merely looked back and forth between Dumbledore and Draco, as the tension slowly built up like a pressure cooker between them. "Er… I… I don't _know_! All I know is that… That…" he said, breathing heavily while nervously eyeing Harry between breaths, "that I received an owl asking me to stay in my room between 11:00 PM and 12:00 AM on the eve of Scorpius's _birthday_! No name, no address of the sender, _nothing_! It was an odd request, something only YOU are capable of, so I took it out of curiosity… There, I've said it. That's why I'm here…"

"No. You've still not answered my question," said Dumbledore, smiling apologetically at Draco, whose face was growing paler and paler by the second. "You got pulled out of the mirror and into the past, and you met Harry, Ron and Hermione, but you needn't have volunteered to _go_ with them on this mission. Why are you _really_ here…?" he said and paused. A deathly silence followed his question. Harry kept blinking nervously between Dumbledore and Draco, not really understanding what was going on in this room, at the moment. The rain was slowly dying down in the background, Harry noted.

"I… I can't answer that…" Draco finally whispered. "I am not answering that question," he said, looking up slowly to finally face Dumbledore's piercing eyes. Something had changed in Draco's face.

"Professor, what's going on…?" Harry asked in a quiet voice. Dumbledore merely smiled and slowly raised his hand to point at the wall to his left. Harry and Draco turned to look around as well and found a large, yet broken mirror hanging on the moth-ridden wall.

"What do you think you'd see if you went and stood in front of that mirror now, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry and Draco merely gaped at the mirror, not quite sure where he was taking this conversation. Dumbledore sighed before continuing on. "Remember what Amadeus had said about multiple scenarios in different worlds and how they were being reflected back to us via mirrors?" he asked, as Harry slowly walked towards the mirror on the wall as if in a state of trance. "What we see really isn't merely our own reflection but an _alternate universe_ , where things are a lot different than what they are on _this_ side of the mirror…" he said, as Harry inched closer to the mirror.

His eyes widened in shock. There, in front of him, was not his own reflection, but that of an old man who looked a LOT like Dumbledore himself with a long white beard and a long starry cloak that stretched all the way till the floor… But it really wasn't Dumbledore for some odd reason.

" _Aberforth_ ," Harry mumbled, and so did his reflection. Only difference was Harry's tone was filled with curiosity and his reflection's tone was more _'matter-of-factly'_.

"My brother, yes," said Dumbledore from behind Harry. "He is about a hundred and five years old now, in your time, Harry, and this is his house. The one that Neville used as the headquarters for the DA in your seventh year," he said, chuckling fondly at the memory. "You may pull him out of the mirror as well if you like," he said, as Harry turned around to look Dumbledore. "But we will not need him for this quest just yet. Draco, however," he said, turning his attention back to the sulking Slytherin heir, "was the last piece of the puzzle…" he said, making Harry's eyebrows shoot in his skull.

Draco, Harry noted, continued to avoid Dumbledore's eye and looked rather uncomfortable in his own seat. "It's NOT what you think," he spat out, frowning distractedly at the floor. "You're a FOOL to think that I'd let myself sink into something as _trivial_ as… as…" he spluttered, pointing a shaky finger at Dumbledore's face as panic took full control of his body. "Just… Just LEAVE ME ALONE!" he bellowed, jumping up from his chair and darting as far away from Dumbledore's gently smiling face as possible, throwing Harry into a _pit_ of confusion.

"What's going on, Professor?" he asked, stepping closer to the table. "What's Draco on about?"

"Love, Harry," Dumbledore simply said. "Love…" he whispered, not taking his eyes off of Draco for one second.

" _What?_ "

"DON'T. YOU. _DARE_!" Draco yelled, from near the window where he was presently pacing up and down at 90 kilometers an hour.

"What are you really afraid of, dear boy? It's been more than _two decades_ for you… Why are you finding it this difficult to _admit_ your love for…"

"NO! NOOO! _Don't say it!_ DO NOT… say it," Draco hissed and glared daggers at Dumbledore's serene face. Harry, on the other hand, felt like the third fiddle who was caught _smack dab_ in the middle of a lovers' spat and felt the urge to slink away into the dark shadows of the house until the two 'love-birds' called it a truce.

And then it hit him. _Damn!_

"Her… Her… _Hermione?_ " he whispered, making both heads turn to look at him. "Wh… Draco and… and… Hermione?!" he asked a little more loudly this time, as shock and bafflement took over. Draco shot Harry a nervous glance before turning his back to Harry, feeling defeated. "Draco?" Harry pressed on.

"It was a long time ago!" came Draco's hoarse voice. "It doesn't matter anymore, though, so can we just NOT talk about it, please?" he said, defensively looking out of the window and into the now thinning rain.

"Since… _when_ , though?" Harry asked, still not quite sure he's hearing it right. Harry wasn't even sure why, but a strange sense of anger seemed to be rising up inside of him. _Is Draco here because of Hermione?!_

" _Honestly_ , Potter?!" Draco snapped back, exhausted from being grilled for answers by Harry.

"Yes!" he said. "Is that why you picked on me and Ron so much in school? Because you thought… Because… _Because you didn't like us being close to her…_ " he declared.

" _Why don't you just wait for an autobiography?_ " Draco spat out and glared back at Harry's burning eyes.

The two of them simply glared back at each other for a few moments before Harry finally spoke up. "Malfoy, I don't know what you're _really_ here for," he said in a low voice. "But, I want you to stay the _hell_ AWAY from her and Ron…" he added, in his most menacing tone.

"Huh? Who said anything abou…? Are you _mad?!_ "

" _MAYBE!_ "

"Harry…"

"No, Professor!"

"Harry… Please…"

"Are you _happy_ now?!" Draco bellowed at Dumbledore.

"Draco, Harry, please!" said Dumbledore, raising his voice for the first time since they met him and, some instinct in Harry told him to shut up and listen to his headmaster. Quietly he tore his eyes away from Draco and slouched down on the chair opposite to Dumbledore once more. Draco remained seated on the wide window sill, sulking more than ever.

"Reflections and multiple worlds existing side by side, Professor," Harry reminded him quietly. "What significance does Draco's current standing on _Hermione_ ," he said, throwing a glare in Draco's direction, "have on that topic?" he said.

"A lot, Harry," he said. "You are not aware of what happened immediately after the prophecy was made in the Hog's Head…" he said, and rubbed his eyes gently as if the memory of the conversation itself was draining him of all energy. "Harry, Draco, you must both understand one thing… When they say, 'Life is a Circle,' they're talking about something a lot bigger than one would ever imagine… History is repeating itself over and over again…" he said, looking at Draco and conveying a lot more through unspoken words.

"And this can go one forever and ever until the end of Magic itself," he continued. "However, you, Draco, are here so that we can put an end to this never-ending maelstrom of love and hatred and put an end to this _quest_ that we have been pulled into. Let me explain.

"Aglæca Malvolia Slytherin's curse upon the Malfoy family line has resulted in History repeating itself over and over again, wherein, the Slytherin _never_ attains the Gryffindor and that is causing the hatred to build with every generation… At this rate, it is bound to come to a point where, the Magical world will be faced with a war _within_ and the entire community could _implode_!

"Draco was _meant_ to fall in love with Hermione just like how Lucius was _meant_ to fall in love with Isabella… Just like…" said Dumbledore, and looked up and suddenly locked eyes with Harry. Harry gasped as he noticed tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

"Just like _me_ … Falling in love with a Slytherin heir too…" he finished his sentence and unconsciously ran his hand over the Elder wand he held in his hand. "Me finding love too but… _never_ really being able to share a life with them…" he paused and stared intently at his wand, as if reliving every memory he has had before the wand finally belonged to him... remembering every tiny detail of the war… of the then _True Master_ of the Elder Wand from whom, Dumbledore had won this long, wooden piece of memories...

Realization struck. The sudden tension that had built up in the space between Dumbledore and Harry and Draco seemed to nearly smother the two younger men. Harry knew _exactly_ WHO Dumbledore meant but didn't say a word.

Dumbledore shook his head as if to shake himself back to reality.

"That is what we need to change Harry, Draco…" he whispered. "That is what you're here for…" Dumbledore said, sighing deeply. "We need to _break_ this pattern. We need to change History as we know it… BREAK the curse laid upon the Malfoy family," he said, watching them through tired eyes. "This is why you're here, Draco," he said. "We need your help in changing Lucius's fate… _Your_ fate… For the greater good."

* * *

 ** _Ron's POV_**

DECEMBER 20, 1976  
GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM, HOGWARTS  
01:43 PM

"…and… after having waited for SIX years, seven months and four days, I finally get to stare into those big, placid eyes and stride off into the sunset towards our 'Happily-Ever-After'… as Mr. and Mrs. Potter…" announced James in his most dreamy voice.

" _…_ Mr. and Mrs. _Potter_?! I'm sorry, Prongs, but I REFUSE to be called Mrs. Sirius _Potter_!" came Sirius's voice from the floor. "Why, that's the most _ridiculous_ name I've ever heard in FOREVER!" he said, in his usual dramatic tone, making the others roll their eyes in exasperation. "Besides," he continued, "why can't _I_ wear the pants in our relationship?" he asked.

"Because you'll look _radiant_ in that wedding dress?" scoffed James, as he playfully rubbed Sirius's head from above. "Also because you're such a _princess_ …" offered James.

Sirius gasped. "I. AM. _NOT!_ " he said, expressing mock-shock in his face. " _I'm just pretty…_ " he added in a low voice, before flicking his precious hair up in the air and slouching back into the cushions that were sprawled all over the floor.

"Are you _girls_ going to let me read or should I opt to step into the library instead?" came Remus's bored voice from behind his _'Dark Transformations & Its Monstrosities'_ book.

"Wedding plans without _Moony_?" gasped Sirius. "This calls for drastic measures…" Sirius stated matter-of-factly before turning to Peter. "Wormy, you know our boy best. Do what you have to do to make him stay," he said, scowling like a three-year-old.

Peter sniggered before eyeing Remus teasingly.

"You too, Peter?!" exclaimed Remus, looking stunned at being back-stabbed by his best friend.

Peter didn't reply to Remus. Instead, he simply turned to Sirius and stated, "Moony isn't going _anywhere_ as long as you promise to pair him with _Clay_ ," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at the shocked faces of James and Sirius.

Remus looked annoyed. Very annoyed…

"Why, thanks a lot, Wormy, can I bet my life on YOU or what?!" he frothed sarcastically.

"Don't make me _Accio-Claiborne!_ now, Moony," he said, and the others roared with laughter at the sulk that was plastered on Remus's face.

Ron smiled to himself as he watched the young Marauders in their element. Ron and Hermione had followed a miserable Lily back to the Gryffindor common room after her utterly depressing meeting with Severus. Lily had refused to talk to anyone and had dashed to her dorm before James could see her tear-ridden, red face. While the other Marauders had successfully tried to keep him distracted by churning out ridiculous scenarios, Ron and Hermione had managed to hide themselves (rather dangerously) behind a couch on the far end of the common room which is least visited by students.

Ron checked his watch: _01:53 PM._

"How much longer do we have to wait here?" he whispered into Hermione's ears.

"As long as it takes," she whispered back and stared long into his eyes with a rather unusual expression on her face.

Ron smiled quizzically at her for a second before his eyes flew open. He looked up and stared at the half-length curtains that hung on the windows right above them and suddenly felt hot blood rushing to his face: an old memory of Ron and Hermione in their third year dawned upon him as he continued to look at the intricate crimson designs on the curtains which instantly brought a smile to his face. This curtain had been their _'mistletoe'_ **(Reference Story: Ronald Weasley & The Curious Case Of Time-Turning)**.

"Oi, Izzy!" Sirius shouted, making the two literally jump out of their skins and turn to see what the commotion was all about. Hermione craned her neck over the handle of the couch to notice Sirius eyeing a bunch of sixth-year girls huddled together by the fire; Isabella was one among them. "It's been _ages_ since we kissed today, baby, I need a refill!" he bellowed, making sure _every_ student in the Gryffindor common room (and every other House common rooms, too, for that matter; yes, even the _dungeons!_ ) could hear him.

A stunned Isabella shot him a look of absolute incredulity as everyone in the room roared with laughter at Sirius's antics. It was obvious, however, that Sirius hadn't yet told his friends about the kiss and make-up between him and Isabella less than 30 minutes ago after he was stabbed in the face by Lucius in the dungeons.

"I'm telling you…" started James. "You're NEVER winning her back if you keep this up, mate! And this is coming out of _personal experience_!" he scoffed, as he pulled Sirius up off the floor and making him sit next to him on the couch. Sirius didn't say anything, but continued to grin sheepishly at Isabella's now red face and winked at her from across the room.

Isabella, though, had had enough. "I don't know WHAT you're talking about, Sirius, so I would _very much_ appreciate it if you didn't go and start yet _another_ rumour for the sake of your left arse's fading _popularity_!" she said, but Ron couldn't help notice the tiny smile that was tugging at the corner of her lips.

James looked impressed. He cheekily muttered, "Congratulations, you've graduated back to being on first-name bases!" as Sirius blew her a teasing kiss from across the room. He looked like he couldn't get himself to stop smiling for one second!

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a _Runes_ class to attend," Isabella continued to announce to the whole common room, as she eyed him wickedly before reluctantly walking towards the portrait hole.

"Nooo! Don't leave me alone here, darling, come back!" he mock-whined, which she responded to by rolling her eyes before climbing out. As soon as the other students in the room went back to minding their own businesses, Ron and Hermione silently stole out of the room and ran after Isabella.

Isabella was running late to class and had to dash across the corridors at top speed, with Ron and Hermione closely behind her. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop and doubled back up the corridor to peer into an empty room, like she'd seen something unusual of some sort. Ron dragged Hermione behind a pillar and watched with bated breath as they saw her eyes narrow in curiosity.

Isabella's eyes were fixated on something that Ron and Hermione could not see. The longer she stood there peering into window of the classroom, the faster Ron's heart started to beat. Something was definitely not right. Suddenly, Ron saw her eyes widen in shock as she unconsciously started to inch closer towards the room. Ron's breath hitched as he watched her disappear inside.

Without thinking, he jumped out from behind the pillar and dashed after her ignoring Hermione's squeaky protests.

As soon as he inched closer to the classroom, he slowed down and tiptoed towards the door. His heart was banging against his ribs as he motioned for Hermione to join him. Slowly, very slowly he peered into the classroom and saw the back of a shell-shocked Isabella standing merely five feet away from where Ron and Hermione stood. But she was not alone. There was someone else in the room along with her: Ron could hear someone sobbing miserably from inside the room.

Very slowly, he boldly tiptoed into the classroom and noiselessly slinked away behind a large pillar so that he could get a better view into the room.

His heart stopped beating.

There in the centre of the large room was _Severus Snape_ slumped in front of a very large, yet, familiar mirror.

" _Come back to me, Lily…_ " Severus cried. "Please come back, I'd do anything for you… Please don't look down upon me from _here_!" he pleaded, as he ran his hands on the smooth glossy surface of mirror. "Why is this happening to me?!" he cried, as he stared into the mirror once more. "What have I done to NOT deserve you, Lily?" he wept as he staggered back to the floor.

"Come back to me, Lily… I wouldn't last a _day_ without you in this world, my love… Come back… _Come back to me, Lily, please…_ " he cried, and stooped low on the ground in front of the mirror. Suddenly, something slid out from inside his robes and clanged loudly against the mirror… Something Ron had seen before which made his stomach do total flip when realization dawned on him.

The Jewel of Light…


	36. Reflect on DESIRE

**A/N: Okay, for all those who were wondering, "Caedesmort" is pronounced "See-Daes-Maurt" :)**

 **Also, a SHOUTOUT to EaGLes41574! Your review made my day! Thanks a bunch and I hope I don't let you down with this chap! :)**

 **P.S. Would LOVE it if I got some reviews... Really am looking forward to hearing what everyone thought of this chap:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 36: Reflect on DESIRE…**

* * *

 **Reference Chapter:** "Mirror Tales"

 **Backstory Recap/ Excerpt:** The lion growled loudly at the sky before turning back to Isabella. "Things seemed a lot better in the other world… Not so much Darkness in there than there is over here..." he mumbled more to himself than to Isabella. "The heir hasn't arrived yet and the Time still isn't right…" the lion continued on, sounding thoughtful. "When we look at a mirror, we see our current world being exactly reflected back to us: everything that is happening around us, the voices, the movement, the people—everything. This drives us to the belief that we are seeing our own life being resonated back at us as it is. It is not. What we do not see in the mirror is what's different about the reflection. What plays on other side of the mirror is something you may have never imagined; an alternate universe where things may be a lot better. What goes down in the history of time on this side of the mirror may NOT be the same as what happened on that side of the mirror! In fact what if you are, Isabella, stuck on the wrong side of the reflection? What if, your destiny and reality is ACTUALLY on that side of the mirror which is a lot less messier, a lot less tragic than it is here? What if, you are, in fact the reflection to the actual Isabella that is staring back at you over there?"

* * *

 ** _Ron's POV_**

DECEMBER 20, 1976  
ABANDONED CLASSROOM, HOGWARTS  
01:59 PM

 _CLANG!_

The locket clanked loudly against the mirror, sending out an ominous silence in the room, broken only by the distant sobs of a young man, sprawled at the foot of a massive mirror. The mood inside the abandoned classroom was fast changing with every second…

His sobs and cries of helplessness continued to echo through the empty room. Every ounce of happiness, every atom of warmth, every flake of joy seemed to seep away through the gaps in the windows and the walls and darkness, gloom and despair began to steadily bottle up. Ron's breathing hitched as he noticed how dark it had suddenly gotten ever since he stepped in after Isabella. Isabella, on the other hand, merely stared on as if in a state of trance, while Severus continued to be completely oblivious to her presence…

"Why…? _Why…?!_ " he sobbed. "Why does it hurt so much…?" he whispered to himself. He looked up at the smooth surface of the large mirror that towered above him. "What am I going to do without you, Lily?" he sobbed looking directly into the girl's eyes that Ron couldn't see. "Why are you sentencing me to a lifetime of despair?! What should I do to deserve you? What do I do…? Something… Anything…" he begged, banging his fists on the mirror.

 _CLANGG!_

The locket clanked hard against the mirror again, and this time, Ron knew something terrible was going to happen…

The noise vibrated through the room so much so that the pillar behind which Ron and Hermione were hiding reverberated dangerously with the effect. A cold sweat burst out, as he nervously watched on. Suddenly, Ron's eyes widened when he realized the contents in the green locket had started to swirl ominously.

"Why, Lily?" he cried, looking up through bloodshot eyes. He was not sad anymore, Ron noted. He was angry. Very angry.

"Why?! WHY?!" Severus demanded. "WHY would you rather be with someone with NO SOUL?!" he bellowed and pounded on the mirror even harder and this time, the locket swung a great deal before finally crashing against the mirror one more time.

 _CLANGGG!_

It felt like the very walls of the castle would come crumbling down as the sound waves thundered through the room. Ron held on to Hermione nervously, waiting for the worst to happen. He just knew something very, very bad was going to happen any second now…

And just when he thought he ought to run inside and yank the locket off of Snape's neck, Isabella came to his rescue.

"Snape!" she finally yelled. "Stop it, stop WHATEVER it is that you're DOING!" she said rushing forwards. "And WHO are you _talking_ TO?" she asked, searching every inch of the large mirror.

A startled Severus swung around to see who it was and was thrown to find out that Isabella was spying on him.

"Wh… What are you doing here?" he stuttered, totally taken aback and in shock. Little drops of sweat burst through the pores of his skin as he tried to conceal the mirror behind him, for fear that Isabella might find out his secret.

"I was just getting to class when I noticed you alone in this room!" she said, looking around the room nervously. The vibration on the floors and walls hadn't ceased; if anything, it felt like it was getting worse with every passing moment. "Snape, what did you do, WHAT IS THAT THING ON YOUR NECK?!" she yelled, panic-stricken.

"Nothing… It's nothing… It was… It was just a dare given to me by… by Mulciber," he stammered, looking equally nervous and struck with panic. "He said if I wore it long enough around my neck, I would turn over to the Dark side and that… and that if I did not, he'd leave me alone forever!" he spluttered. Isabella held on to a nearby pillar for support as the floors began to reverberate even more. "Oh no... I think this locket is _cursed_!" he huffed, as realization hit him.

"You _think_?!" she yelled. "Get rid of it, Snape! Get it off your neck, _this second!_ " she yelled and ran towards him to yank it off his neck, but Severus ducked out of her way, giving her full view of the mirror this time.

Isabella froze. Ron and Hermione were craning their necks to see what was going on. She looked shell-shocked as she merely stood there staring at the mirror, as if she'd been slapped by an invisible hand.

"Wh-What... Me and... _What?_ " she muttered, not taking her eyes off of the mirror for even a second. "Wh-What mirror IS this?!" she stuttered and looked up at the golden arch that was encasing it, until her eyes found some obscure letters and words written on the arch:

oO~.. _"Ís'h'Ów nÖ' Tyo' Urf'Ac ebÜ Tyo' Urhë aR'ts DÉSÍRÉ"_ ..~Oo

" _The Den of Desire_ …" Snape muttered from behind Isabella. "It shows not your reflection but your heart's true desire…" he whispered. "What does your heart truly want, Williams? The Mirror never lies… What do you truly see…?" he asked in a small albeit cold voice.

 _("Ron! This is it!" whispered Hermione. "The note that Isabella had given us! Reflect on DESIRE! This is it, she was actually referring to the Mirror of Erised!" Ron nodded his head and motioned her to quiet down before turning his attention back to Severus and Isabella. Hermione continued to look confused though… "But, why is it not_ Erised _…?" she wondered out loud.)._

"Nothing!" Isabella spat out, looking very distracted and guilt-ridden. "Nothing, I see NOTHING!" she repeated, more to herself than to Severus. A cold breeze blew over their faces, sending shivers down Ron's spine. The clouds outside seemed to thicken again and, the longer they stayed in this room, the darker it got, as if Death itself was upon them…

"You're lying…" he said, with a slight smirk on his face. "You're just scared of what the mirror is actually showing you, are you not?" he asked, amusedly. Isabella shot him a look of pure hatred before speaking up again.

"DO NOT make me kill you, Snape!" she yelled through gritted teeth. "That locket is _cursed_ and I am starting to get a _very_ bad feeling about this! We need to get out of here before things get worse!" she said, tugging at his hand, but he resisted.

"I'm not leaving this room!" he yelled as he shook her off roughly. Ron saw a look of deranged obsession playing in Severus's eyes as he inched closer towards the mirror. "I am _never_ leaving this tower EVER! She will be mine forever!" he announced, turning back to the mirror once more as a sense of mad satisfaction crept back on his face. "Lily and I are meant to be soulmates!" he announced, as little drops of tears trickled down from his wide, bloodshot eyes. "And this is my destiny…" he whispered, quivering a little from complete insanity.

Isabella helplessly stared back at the madman that Severus now was and looked desperate to do something. Heavy winds blew through the open windows and doors, making her robes flutter and flap in the air. "Snape, this mirror is lying! It's driving you INSANE!" she yelled, but Severus wasn't paying any attention anymore. He had spread his arms wide and closed his eyes as if cherishing every second of the wild wind that was gracing his face and hands.

"SNAPE!" she bellowed, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Still no reaction.

But Isabella seemed to have had enough, because suddenly, without warning, she leaped forwards, grabbed the locket in her hand, yanked it off of Severus's neck and crashed it against the mirror, in an attempt to destroy it! Unfortunately for her, quite the opposite happened…

Instead of crumbling to pieces, the locket flew open and a thick, black cloud of smoke exploded out of it, throwing both Severus and Isabella to the ground. The black cloud started to swirl and gurgle and puff until it entirely blocked out the mirror from their view. And, because the mirror was entirely clouded by the black smoke, it cut out all light in the room, shrouding everyone in pitch darkness altogether. For a split second, Ron lost track of where exactly he was as his eyes desperately tried to adjust to the pitch blackness that he was surrounded in. And then, suddenly, there was a noise as that of something slithering through the dusty floors.

Silence.

Nothing ever moved for a whole thirty seconds. Severus and Isabella were far too terrified to even breathe while Ron and Hermione held on to each other as darkness engulfed them entirely. Ron wasn't even sure which way he and Hermione were facing in the darkness. He listened on with bated breath, hoping to not get ambushed by a snake out of nowhere.

Suddenly, Ron's breath got completely knocked out of his lungs when white thick cloud burst out of the locket on the floor and swirled upwards winding into a perfectly circular shape until, Ron thought, it looked like a face! The white cloud of smoke continued to swish around until the features got more prominent and evident, to reveal the deadliest human face Ron had ever seen in his life. Pride and command seemed to almost ooze from the face that stared back at the mirror. With a large crown set on its head, it was the face of a King that was _more_ terrible and _more_ horrifying than that of Voldemort himself!

The face was staring back at the mirror through a pair of eyes as that of the very eyes of a _cobra._ Fear and dread shot through Ron's spine as he held Hermione closer to him while staring into the white, cloudy face of the greatest Dark Lord the magical world had ever seen…

"Wondrous…" came a deathly voice from the cloud smoke that continued to stare at the mirror. "For centuries in silence I lie… And so vow'd, whilst there is world or time, th' Slytherin bloodline shall'st always bear and produce such soldiers, such captains, and such lords ne'er seen… And what of my bloodline thou shall'st see? Greatness-sss…" the voice hissed, as the white shadow of the long-gone King Mávros Slytherin beamed more and more with cold happiness.

Ron finally understood what was happening: Mávros Slytherin was staring into the Mirror of Erised which was reflecting back to him, his deepest and greatest desires ever! Hermione looked up at him, completely perplexed out of her skin as realization dawned on her as well.

Isabella and Severus exchanged petrified looks before slowly turning their attention back to the ghost of Mávros Slytherin. Ron, on the other hand, couldn't help but acknowledge how handsome Mávros actually was, despite the malice that hung about his face.

"Mine eye doth pierce the heav'ns and see what is invisible to thee!" he boomed, getting louder and madder with a controlled mirth as the mirror continued to show him more and more of his deepest, darkest desires. "My garments are not silk nor gold, nor such like trash which Earth doth hold but, Royal Robes I shall have on more glorious than the glist'ring Sun! The City where I hope to dwell, there's none on Earth can parallel... Mine blood shall'st live on, for pride, power and honour!" he thundered, looking more insane than ever.

"No Candle there, nor yet Torch light in this world forevermore, for there shall be, forevermore only darksome nights..." the old King hissed, his face almost quivering with rage and revenge that was threatening to explode. "I have returned...!" he bellowed, making Ron's legs almost buckle with fright. "ALL RISE FOR THE MIGHTY MAVROS SLYTHERIN HAS RISEN ONCE MOOORE!" the ghost boomed, making the entire room shudder and crumble all over. Ron saw that Hermione was visibly shivering at the mere sight of the ghost, and wrapped a protective hand around her.

Triumph and pride resonated from the very eyes of the snake as he continued to look into the depth of the mirror when he heard a soft sob escape from Isabella's mouth. With a rage that could have engulfed the entire _planet_ , he swung around to see what it was that had disturbed his peaceful moment of victory and ended up staring at the white, fearful face of Isabella. At first, the King seemed to glare venomously at the white face of Isabella with every intention of shredding her to pieces. However, the longer he stared at her, the faster his rage seemed to fade away. All of a sudden, his wrathful face was filled with a sense of tenderness. He continued to gaze at her serenely as if hit by a wave of sweet memories from long ago.

"Irvette… _Reborn…?_ " he whispered, drinking in her image. His eyes widened in wonderment and deranged longing of times forgotten. Somehow, from his tone, Ron got this feeling that Mávros was asserting an invisible sense of ownership on Irvette Gryffindor; it looked like, despite all that's happened, he still thought of himself as her _Master_. Slowly, very slowly, however, Ron noticed his breathing get shallower and heavier as he continued to stare at Isabella's white face, until his face was shuddering with absolute rage and fury. "Several centuries hence, thou was't of royal blood begot! But of all the heirs on earth, thine heart burns for _MY BLOOD_?!" the face roared.

Isabella simply stared back, looking beyond confused. It was clear that she hadn't understood a _word_ of what Mávros had just said. " _I… Er… Blood…?_ " she stuttered.

At this point, however, Severus, despite his fear-ridden face, turned around to look at Isabella with a thunderstruck expression on his face, making Ron wonder what Isabella had _really_ seen in the mirror. A crack of lightening thundered and lit up the skies outside for a split second, making Ron jump once again.

"Thy sinful desires I have seen! Thy ambitions be beyond thy dull capacity!" he roared. "Mixing of Caedesmortan royal blood with the heirs of _Woldorin_?!" Mávros thundered, this time speaking directly to Severus. "Dishonour! No son of Caedesmort thou art!" he raged on.

Mávros Slytherin continued to seethe at the two white faces of Isabella and Severus. "Much is sinned in this realm!" he hissed, looking around the empty classroom and the silent corridors beyond. "Disturb no more my content heart, for I have vow'd Light as a foe still to pursue… All the wrongs be right'd and all the darkness over light be triumph'd! What is denied to me shall FOREVER BE DENIED TO ALL!" he raged on, as a thick white cloud of smoke started to swirl around his face, distorting the chiselled, handsome face of Mávros Slytherin. "Prepare to enter a new world, a world bereft of sin… A world perfect'd to my liking! A world where Love is thus destroy'd and Darkness prevails!" he thundered.

Ron's breathing got shallower and heavier as his anticipation for what was about to come next mounted inside him. Suddenly, he remembered something important...

 _'It happens in_ _1976…'_

Isabella's voice echoed in his mind, as his heart started to race. He had to do something important right now. What was it?

 _'Seek the boy with the Jewel of Light…'_

Severus… He's the boy with the Jewel of Light! What else did she say…?

 _'Reflect on DESIRE and burn it bright…'_

Burn it bright… _Burn it bright?_ How can he burn it bright? What should he do? Reflect on DESIRE? Burn it bright… Ron suddenly gasped. _'The Deluminator!'_

However, before he could blink, before he could even move a finger, he heard a crash, like an explosion. He swung his head around just in time to hear Mávros Slytherin laughing frightfully, "The time is here…" he said, before crashing head first into the mirror!

An ear-splitting, earth shattering blast that could've destroyed the whole of England thundered through the room, throwing Ron and Hermione and everyone else in the room into a fabric of total confusion! All Ron could see was whiteness everywhere as he felt the wind engulf him entirely. And in all this confusion, there was a sudden sound of a glass shattering that pierced through Ron's ears threatening to explode his ear drums altogether as he held on to Hermione like his life depended on it… He couldn't let anything happen to her…

Suddenly, it felt like Ron and Hermione were thrown _right_ into the eye of a storm and they were being carried by an unseen wave as big as the castle itself! Everything started to spin and bend around until they were moving and revolving and spinning uncontrollably as if they were being sucked into a very tiny hole on the wall where the mirror stood tall. The spinning got faster, the wind spun around them more wildly than ever before and Ron felt himself get lost entirely as he surrendered helplessly to the power of the great Dark Lord, Mávros Slytherin. A slow sense of hopelessness started to creep inside him as his wind-pipe got blocked entirely and the spinning got tighter and more claustrophobic for him to bear.

At some point through this journey, all was lost. For a split second, everything was white, calm and peaceful. Ron hadn't breathed in so long that, he was sure he was dismissed and relieved from the bondage of life forever, as a sense of happiness crept inside him. There was no sound, no movement, no ANYTHING in this paradise that he was floating in before he noticed something important: his hand was holding on to something. Slowly, he turned his head to see what it was and got his breath knocked out his lungs as he realized, he was in fact, holding on to Hermione's hand…

Before he could let the realization sink in, he felt himself be pulled towards the ground and found himself hurtling back to some unknown place at an unimaginable speed.

BAM!

Ron felt himself crash through a mirror in slow motion as several thousand glittering pieces of steel illuminated the room all around. A second later, he found himself thrown back into the room from where he was squeezed out of mere seconds ago. He flew out of the mirror and landed twenty feet away from the mirror before rolling over uncontrollably with Hermione clutched tightly to his chest. Finally, the spinning stopped and he landed smack on his back with his left arm wrapped tightly around Hermione. He was staring back at the high ceiling and breathing heavily.

"Ron," Hermione whispered next to him. "Are you alright…?" she asked, to which Ron merely nodded his head. All was lost. He had not acted in time as per Isabella's instructions. He should've sent out a whole bucket of light before the unthinkable had taken place. _What was he going to do now? All hope was lost, how was he going to salvage his mistake?!_

"Hermione, what are we going to do now?" he whispered back miserably, but shut up quite immediately as he realized where he was. They were still in the same room and quite predictably, so were Severus and Isabella. _They can't be seen_ , Ron reminded himself.

"Snape?!" he heard the faint voice of Isabella from far away. Quickly, Ron and Hermione jumped up to their feet and slid behind a pillar. "Snape, are you alright?" they heard her say.

"Where… Where are we?" he asked, uncertainly as he clumsily scrambled back to his feet. "The mirror! What's happened to it…?" he asked, stricken with panic and turned around to see that it was still in its pristine condition as it was before except, it didn't look quite the same. That's when Ron realized how the Mirror got the name _'The Mirror of Erised'_.

The inscription on the rim now read:

oO~.. _"ÉRÍSÉD st'Ra ëhrU o'yT Übe cA'frU o'yT Ö'n wÓh'sÍ"_ ..~Oo

"Isn't she simply breath-taking?" he asked, as he continued to stare at an invisible Lily.

"Snape, HONESTLY?!" Isabella retorted crossly. "This mirror is driving you INSANE! I mean, after ALL that we just saw, you're still stuck on Lily?!" she shrieked and shook his shoulder, as if to wake him up from a trance. "Who WAS that and… and… where _are_ we?!" she asked, looking around uncertainly. "We're certainly back but something feels different," she breathed, and Ron could sense panic rising slowly inside of her.

"We are where we're _supposed_ to be," Snape said silently, clutching the Jewel of Light tightly in his hand. "It's the Dark Lord's wish and we're powerless in front of him. Fighting him is futile," he said, sounding beat and tired. "Mulciber was right… I have to join my Master, my fate," he whispered.

"WHAT?" Isabella shrieked. "Are you MENTAL?! Joining Voldemort, are you _HONESTLY_ considering that option?" she asked, looking horrified. "Snape, Lily _trusted_ you! How could you _do_ this to her?"

"Lily is gone… All hope is lost," he whispered. "The Dark Lord is my only hope now… He's my only option…"

"No! NO, he's not!" Isabella said, holding him by his shoulders. "You're a good person, Snape. Allow the world to see that side of you! Allow Lily to see you the goodness in you…"

"To what avail? The Slytherin never gets the _Gryffindor_ … Did you not hear the Dark Lord?"

"First of all, DO NOT CALL HIM THAT! It burns my blood to have to give a thick, white _smoke_ face so much respect! For starters, we don't even KNOW who that was. Secondly, I don't give a rat's arse about what he had to tell us about our future! Thirdly, I want you to get RID of that locket, right away," she snarled. "Also, let's get out of here before we see something else on the mirror…" she trailed away and tried to drag Severus by his hand, but he won't budge.

"What's making you so nervous, Williams?" Severus asked in a low voice. "What was so horrific about what you saw in the mirror? You do realize that the mirror never lies, don't you?"

Isabella didn't say anything for a long time. However, Ron saw her slowly raise her head up and looked straight into Severus's eyes. "I just realized that, one's deepest desires aren't always all that pleasant. I'm scared, Severus…" she whispered, almost welling up. "I don't want what I saw… It could destroy me entirely! I hope to never see my future turn out like that!" she said, as a sob escaped her mouth. "Promise me to never talk about it, Severus? Please…"

Severus mutely stared at her. "Whatever it is, it won't remain a secret for too long..."

"Severus," she pleaded. "I need just your word at the moment... I promise to help you out in any way possible if you promise to keep my secret safe with yourself..." she begged. "Please..."

He didn't say anything for a long time and chose to simply bore her with an accusatory look. But eventually he did give when he curtly nodded at her as if to say he promises.

"Come on then," Isabella said, tugging at his hand, as a sense of relief washed over her body. "Let's get out of here…" and the two of them filed out of the room in awkward silence.

Ron let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He slowly turned to his wife and, as he met her eyes, he immediately knew she was thinking the same thing that he was as well.

"That was our cue, Ron… We should've been quicker," she said, sighing audibly and leaning against him.

"What next, though?" he asked, looking down at her.

"Isabella has already answered that as well," she said and Ron immediately remembered the rest of the note that she had left for them.

 _'Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn…  
What is up is now down…'_


	37. Hiss of Betrayal

**A/N: This one took a while for some reason. Hope it's turned out okay. DYING to hear everyone's thoughts of the story up until here! Please help me out here, you guys, write reviews, help me improve... :) Hope everyone likes this chap. Until next time :)**

 **P.S. Have not read through this chap even once, so my apologies in advance for mistakes and errors. Shall have it corrected by tomorrow, so please bear with me until then!**

* * *

 **Chapter 37:** Hiss of Betrayal

* * *

 **DAY 1:** DECEMBER 20, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
 _02:59PM_

 ** _Harry's POV_**

Harry and Draco were seated in the empty Great Hall, lost in thought. They hadn't said a word to each other ever since they had left the dingy, old cottage and walked back to Hogwarts led by Dumbledore. Their headmaster had left them off at the Entrance Hall and headed straight to his study, wishing them luck on this mission.

Harry's robes, which were originally spotless, now looked brown and muddy. But nothing mattered at the moment, as he sat there, contemplating on his next move. But he had to admit: despite the morbid mission that he was carrying on his shoulders, he felt absolutely _ecstatic_ to be here, at _this_ time and age, along with his father and his bunch of amazing friends. 1976, TRULY, was one of the best years to have been alive in, he concluded, as a slight smile broke on his face in spite of himself.

"Did she ever…" started Malfoy, cutting into Harry's thoughts. "Hermione, I mean… Did she ever talk about me, Potter?" he asked, staring at his hands.

"What do you want me to say, Malfoy?" Harry said in a low voice. "Hermione, she's as complex as the theory of _Wandlore_ itself. No one ever knew what ran in her mind," he said, and smirked to himself. "In fact, even _I_ didn't know she fancied Ron until our fourth year, I reckon, despite being her closest friend ever. So, yeah, to answer your question, no, she did not mention you that much, in fact, not at _all_. But my question is," he said, turning to look at Draco's face this time, "how does that make you feel?"

Draco looked up. "Stings a bit, but I knew, so it doesn't matter all that much, I suppose… I'm just happy that she's happy," he said and darted his away from Harry. Suddenly, a slight smile broke on his face before he added, "You've no idea how much I've envied Weasley and for how long I resisted the urge to break his nose so she'd notice _me_ instead of _his_ freckled-face," he said, grinning a little. "It's always pained me to acknowledge how easy it was for all my friends to simply like someone and get to _be_ with them too, like life _owed_ them something…" he sighed.

"I know what you mean. Been there, done that," Harry said, grinning along with Draco at the thought of his own failed relationships.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps running towards the Great Hall. Harry and Draco immediately dived under the table just in time as the doors to the Great Hall flew open and two pairs of feet could be seen running in. Harry instantly recognized Ron's dirty shoes and jumped up from under the table and waved at them.

"There they are! Come on!" huffed Ron, and slowed down as he trudged past the long tables and chairs to reach Harry and Draco. "You," he started and drew in a whole bucket of air before speaking again, "are NOT going to believe what we just saw!" he panted and flocked down opposite to Harry and Draco. Hermione joined them as well.

Harry, quite spontaneously looked between Draco and Hermione, before turning his attention back to Ron and Hermione ( _he was never going to get used to the idea in a million years!_ ). Ron mutely stared back at Harry, pausing dramatically to heighten the effect before opening his mouth to speak again: "Would you, Harry, believe me if I said Isabella has a _secret_ that NO ONE knows? That, _that's_ the exact reason why she was even _able_ to write us that note on the day she died? That, it was also one of the reasons why she was the ONLY person who didn't really protest or even get _involved_ in the discussion when Remus got ousted from the group and the Order that day?" he said, and waited for a reaction from Harry and Draco. Hermione, on the other hand, merely looked too exhausted to even be interested in what they thought at the moment.

Harry looked stumped as he simply gaped on at Ron. "What are you saying? What is she hiding, Ron? Tell me everything!"

"Well, that's the bad news. We don't know yet, but we're going to find out," he said, and quickly filled them in on everything they had witnessed about half an hour ago. A chill swept through Harry and Draco as the story was narrated… _They've been pulled_ into _the Dark Side? By the first Dark Lord_ HIMSELF _? So THAT'S why everything turned out to be so bad?_

"Also," added Ron, looking slightly apologetic. "Mate, we ought to figure out a way to turn over to the Light side again, man… It's the ONLY way we can right the wrongs! We were supposed to _not_ let the switch happen, but we weren't even aware that _that_ was the moment when we had to act and ended up missing our chance…" he said and paused for a bit. "Another meeting with Dumbledore, I suppose…" he said, looking up at Harry and Draco.

Harry sighed and looked up at Ron and Hermione through tired eyes. "Can I be honest?" he said, letting his hands fall tiredly to the table. "I am tired as hell. I _know_ it's only all of three o'clock, but I don't think I can stand _one more second_ of brainstorming or ANYTHING for the time being. Can we please find a place to stay, assuming we're going to be stuck in the past for some time?" he said, and immediately received appreciative grunts from the others.

"You are a godsend!" said Ron, nodding vehemently, while rubbing his tired eyes.

Hermione looked around the table and sported an _'are-you-all-for-real?'_ look before shaking her head and adding, "I vote that we stay somewhere HERE, in the castle," said Hermione. "That way, we would always be able to keep an eye on what everyone was doing," she said. Harry suddenly realized that this was the first time Hermione had spoken ever since the four of them caught up and it made him wonder why…

"I think Hermione is right," said Draco, making Harry immediately eye him disbelievingly. He was about to send out a _'seriously-back-the-hell-off-mate'_ look, but failed miserably. Draco caught his eye, but chose to ignore him in style and continued ( _What the hell?_ ) "Which House, though? The dungeons or the tower?" Draco asked grinning a little, knowing fully well that he was treading DANGEROUS territory.

Ron raised a challenging eyebrow at him. " _Whadoyathink?_ " he said, making Harry and Hermione laugh approvingly.

"Alright, alright, you win!" Draco said, putting his hands up in surrender. "Red and gold, it is!" he added, making Harry and Hermione laugh even more. And with that, the four of them stood up and started thinking of ways and means in which to snuggle into the Gryffindor tower without being seen. Ron suggested throwing the idea of _'not being seen'_ in the bin and walk right up to the Gryffindor common room and occupy one of the empty dorms for the time-being ( _"How bad can it be?!" he had said. "We're all dressed as students, it'll be a walk in the park!"_ ). He stopped talking only when he caught Hermione's death glare from the side.

"I suggest we coop up in the library for a little while," she concluded most heartlessly. Ron's face fell; Harry pitied the bloke; he knew all too well how much Ron was looking forward to this little power nap before they got back to cracking down on the case… Holding back a laugh that was threatening to burst out, he turned over to Hermione again. "We have a LOT that we don't know and I think it would be utterly FOOLISH to waste our time _resting_!" she said and challenged anyone to oppose her point. Harry was in NO mood to argue so ended up shrugging his consent. "Alright, but YOU'RE going to do all the reading. I _am_ going to get a little shut-eye," he said, not giving her any more leeway on the matter.

"What are you going to study on, anyway?" asked Draco. "Don't we have all the information we would need to do whatever it takes to change the past?" he asked, most curiously.

"Not really. I have a feeling we need to know something about _The Veil_ , considering that was where Sirius, well… Actually, I am just basing it all on a hunch that I have that needs clarifying," she said, making all of their heads turn. Harry's jaw dropped open as several circuits started firing away in his brain making him forget all about resting. _What is she on about?!_ "I doubt if even The Unspeakables know _anything_ about what it is or does or HOW it acts as the barrier between the lands of the living and of the dead, despite _years_ of research!" she continued, leading them swiftly towards the library. The others followed her as if in a state of trance. "But we are going to find out and I bet on my _Time-Turner_ that the answer to THAT question is going to salvage us all!"

A whimper escaped Ron's mouth as he eyed the boys sceptically. "Darling… Is it utterly _necessary_ for us to deal with the _'Whisper People'_?" Ron whispered weakly, and mutely prayed to all the gods in heaven to pump in some sense into her.

"One hundred percent!" she replied icily as they turned around a corner into the aisle that led to the library.

"But, Hermione…" Harry said, almost jogging to keep up with Hermione's pace. "Why about The Veil all of a sudden?" he asked, with only one thing in mind that seemed to get his heart racing: _Sirius!_ "I… Er… see no significance whatsoever as to how it would even…" he said, trying to mask the excitement in his voice.

"Like I said, Harry," she said, storming into the library with a sense of purpose. "It's purely based on a hunch. I'll tell you all about my theory once I am even a little bit close to finding out what The Veil's real purpose is… After what I saw in the abandoned classroom today, I have no reason to think that it is anything close to simply being an innocent gateway to the land of the dead. I _am_ going to get to the bottom of this if it kills me in the process!" she said, sounding uncharacteristically upbeat. Truth be told, seeing her this way made Harry nervous. "In the meanwhile, one of us needs to constantly keep an eye on the key stakeholders of this case," she said, referring to all the kids from the 70's that are involved in this bizarre story, "you know, just so we don't miss out on anything important while we're busy researching.

"So, having said that, I am dividing us all up. Harry, you will be in-charge of retrieving and uniting the Deathly Hallows, since you are the Chosen One and that's your primary responsibility. You may break the rules a bit by stealing it from James, because that's just _how_ it _can_ be done!" she sighed almost hating the idea. "Also, make sure you visit Dumbledore and see if he's figured out how to fix that Stone!" she ranted on, as if she'd memorized the whole speech in her head at some point. "Also, figure out the real purpose of Gryffindor's sword, why it's travelled back in time and how can it 'help' us in this mission!

"Draco," she said, turning to look at him this time. "You will watch over Lucius AT ALL TIMES! I need timely reports about what he's doing, where he's going, what's he saying, EVERYTHING. If he encounters anyone from Gryffindor, even if it is just Peter, I need to know! I need to make sure you memorize his class schedules so that you may never lose sight of him. Also, if he ever meets up with Remus or Peter or Severus or Isabella, I NEED the details of their conversation and their behaviour! Can you remember all that?" she asked, crisply, to which Draco quickly nodded his head. ( _"Aaaaand, she's back!" Harry ruefully acknowledged as she shot out instructions after instructions at them._ )

"Ron, you're in-charge of the Gryffindor wing! All of whatever I said to Draco applies to you too! I do not want you to miss a SINGLE thing about what goes on in that tower! The Gryffindors, especially this bunch, both boys and girls, generally move in a pack, so it shouldn't be that big a problem for you when it comes to eavesdropping on what they're saying or doing. If someone's missing or away from the group, I need you to give that person the highest priority! You need to find their whereabouts and report exactly what you heard or saw! If it's too much to remember, WRITE IT DOWN!" she said, slamming her hand on the table in which the four of them were seated.

"Yes, ma'am!" squeaked Ron, looking terrified at the humungous responsibility that he was thrown at.

"I, in the meanwhile, shall work on cracking the case of The Veil. Considering how ancient a magic this is and how, most of the books that might explain the phenomenon might not even be in the English language, so I have got a LOT of work to do, trying to decode the _science_ behind it. I bet the scriptures would be in ancient Runes or even _Sanskrit_ for all you know…" she said, talking more to herself now than to the others. Suddenly, she snapped her head up and looked curiously at them. "What are we waiting for?! Chop! Chop!" she said, making them all jump to their feet.

"Is this turning out to be the longest day of our lives or what?!" Ron muttered in Harry's ears making him smile apologetically at him before the boys ran out of the library and split into different directions.

* * *

 **DAY 1:** DECEMBER 20, 1976  
THE DUNGEONS, SLYTHERIN HOUSE, HOGWARTS  
 _07:46 PM_

 ** _Draco's POV_**

Draco was panting and sweating as he peered out of the large pillar that he was hiding behind. As he heard footsteps approaching, he ducked back behind the pillar, hoping no one spotted him. Draco's breathing finally steadied as his heart stopped pumping so fast, making him relax. He leaned his head back on the pillar and stared blankly at the ceiling.

 _What are you even doing here, Draco?_ he asked himself. _Why are you really here? It's been YEARS since you passed out of Hogwarts, surely you're not still hung up on_ Granger _?!_ he yelled at himself crossly and opened his eyes once again as revelation dawned on him. _I just—want to be with her…_ spoke a small voice that seemed to come from a corner of his brain. _One last time… Before everything goes back to what it was…_

That's it. That was the truth. He had _finally_ admitted to himself what he could never face bravely for ALL these years. He missed her—every now and then even now. And so, when he came face-to-face with her in his mirror, all of these emotions had come rushing back and there was no way of stopping them or resisting the urge to hang out with her: something he could NEVER do back when they were all in school. So this was him, trying to make the most of a small opportunity that life was throwing his way, perhaps.

 _You do realize you have to face your FATHER now, don't you?_ this stern voice echoed through his head. _Good luck surviving that!_ he told himself and was surprised to find out how sarcastic and mean he sounded _even to himself!_

Suddenly, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a scurrying noise. In fact, the more he listened to it, the more he realized that the scurrying noise had been there for quite some time now… Hit by a major wave of curiosity, Draco waited and listened intently to locate the sound of the noise; some instinct told him not to react immediately and wait. The noise got louder and louder until he was sure it was right in front of the pillar behind which he was hiding. Without stopping, the scurrying continued, until it reached the large, brass door that sealed the entrance to the dungeons.

 _Odd,_ he thought to himself and risked a peak from behind the pillar and saw the rat standing obediently in front of the door, like it was waiting for someone.

Suddenly, Draco his heard his watch tick, indicating that it was five o' clock, and at the exact same moment, there was a deafening rumble of a large tunnel door being swung open. Draco started at the noise and ducked in time to realize the door to the dungeons was creeking open. _What in the world?_ he thought to himself as he waited with bated breath to see what happens next. And to his utter shock, the door opened to reveal Bellatrix Black standing at the entrance looking down upon the rat like it was equivalent to the filth on her shoes.

"I hope it's good news, Peter," she muttered, looking at the rat, and to Draco's amazement, the rat actually nodded back at her. "Follow me…" she said coldly, before stalking away as quickly away from the door as possible, "we don't want Malfoy to spot us now, do we?" she said, and the rat instantly followed her like she was its mistress.

Overcome with curiosity, Draco silently followed the two of them, making sure to hide himself in the dark shadows of the tunnel. From the route that Bellatrix was taking, it was clear to him that she was leading the rat into the antechamber or tunnel-opening that overlooked the Great Black Lake. Draco realized she chose this location because, it is, practically, the ONLY place in the entire castle where one won't be overheard owing the echo of the water that thunders through the walls of the tunnel. Luckily for Draco, Bellatrix stayed close enough to the mouth of the tunnel where he was hiding, making it slightly easier to discern what she was saying.

However, just as he was settling down, he was thrown off guard once again when suddenly the little rat that had been following her started to transform into a very fat and ugly person that he thought he knew from somewhere, but couldn't place right away.

"Hello, Peter!" Bellatrix piped, looking at the fear-ridden, guilty face of Peter. "Now, we both know why we're here…" she hissed, looking dangerously at him. "Don't me ask you twice because that would only make me angry and _you don't_ _want to see me ANGRY!_ " she yelled haughtily.

"I… The…" he stammered, before eyeing her nervously. "I hope to not dis—disappoint you, Miss—Miss Black…" he stuttered, sounding downright guilty, like he regretted it.

"Speak up, rat-piss!" she ordered. "I have no time for your stupidity! TELL ME EVERYTHING! I know you've been paying my High Aunt a visit every now and then and I know something's brewing and I want to know EVERYTHING! " she bellowed, jabbing her wand under chin, making him squeal with fear.

"Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me!" he pleaded, as he whimpered under her deathly glare. "I shall tell you everything…" he said, quivering greatly.

Bellatrix twisted her wand even more menacingly making him blurt it all out in one breath: "I… The… It's about Sirius Black!" he spluttered. "She's unhappy—VERY unhappy. As you must already know, following Lord Orion Black's death, Her Ladyship has confirmed that, coming March, Sirius Black, _your cousin_ , comes of age and is in line to assume title of "Lordship" to the House of Black as he is the rightful blood heir and she does not like it! He's a disgrace to the family… She wants someone worthy, someone who respects and upholds the reputation of the family forever—someone like me…" he said, as pride filled his eyes.

Bellatrix threw a delirious laugh when she heard that. "Let me see if I heard that right... You? As LORD _BLACK_?! You must daft out of your MIND, you must be!" she cackled. "Poor baby thinks _Lady Walburga Black_ would actually even CONSIDER nincompoops such as yourself…?"

"She swore on her blood!" he interjected. "Her Ladyship is _not_ one to go back on her word, you know?" he said, quivering more than ever.

"SHUT IT before I kill you right here, right now…" she said, driving her wand through his skin, making him bleed almost. Peter was whimpering in pain as he surrendered entirely to her wrath. "Tell me what she wanted and _be off_ before I change my mind!" she said, through gritted teeth.

"Y-yes, a-a-a-alright... I... I shall tell you everything..." he was sweating profusely now. "L-Lady Black had presented Sirius with her ring, an heirloom of the House of Black, stating that only a girl w-worthy of her blood-status and eminence be presented with the same at the time of m-m-marriage. H-However, upon learning about Sirius's well… er," he stammered, searching for the right word, " _closeness_ to Williams," he said, wiping the sweat off his brow, "Her Ladyship was deeply disturbed and disenchanted with Sirius's choosing and... and declared that before Sirius turned seventeen and became the next Lord Black, the ring be returned to her without his knowledge…"

Bellatrix's eyes widened in glee and mad satisfaction as the words hit her. Still smiling, she titled her head and said, "And…?" as if asking him to deliver her the good news.

"And—I... I..." he stammered, shaking uncontrollably from head to toe. Draco held his breath as Peter spewed out every tiny detail of his 'task.' With trembling fingers, Peter reached inside his robes and shakily pulled out something small in his palm. His eyes brimmed with pride and self-worth, he whispered a, "I have the fake," he held out a platinum ring with a large rock that sat on top. "And I am going to swap this with the original tonight..."

Bellatrix's eyes sparkled with malice and glee. "Good job, pet," she crooned and rubbed the top of his head like she was petting her dog. "So the rat _is_ proving to be useful after all!" she hummed with joy as she (painfully) patted the side of his face, as if appreciating him for his efforts. "You have outdone yourself, honestly! The Dark Lord will be SO proud! So, Miss Pissy Williams is _not_ invincible after all! This is good news, very good news!" she crooned more to herself than anyone else. Suddenly, she jerked her head back to notice Peter was still standing there, shaking with fear. "What are you looking at? There'll not be any gold coins for your services!" she said scornfully. "You may leave!" she shrieked, dismissing him with a wave of her hand and slouching back on the wall, as if basking in her glory.

In a flash, the boy that had stood crouching before her, disappeared and Draco was left staring after a rat scampering away at the speed of light.


	38. The Stewardess of the Stone

**A/N: I am not sure if ANY of you are mad at me for having to wait this long for this update, but if there is even ONE person out there who felt this way, I am truly sorry. Dealing with quite a bit right now, both professionally and personally, but that is no excuse, I know. I must say though, writing this chapter truly lifted my mood, and I am genuinely excited to have finally shared this with all of you!**

 **Please do leave reviews, so that I may know what all of you think of this chap here. Without further ado...**

* * *

 **Chapter 38: The Stewardess of the Stone**

* * *

 **Reference Chapters:** Mirror Tales

So, the previous night, Draco had filled the three of them in on everything he had seen and concluded that, Peter, indeed may have swapped the Black family's betrothal ring with a fake one, which, quite predictably resulted in Isabella's ultimate downfall on October 31st, 1981. In all honesty, Harry's head was spinning with the _level_ of twists and sinister politics that were at play in the Marauder's Era, so much so that he simply wanted to lock himself up in a room and _scream into a pillow_! It was at that point that Hermione decided to show the boys some love and permitted them to get some shut-eye while she continued to pore over a rack full of books that she had stolen from the library.

 **DECEMBER 21, 1976**  
CRAMMED ROOM, ELVEN QUARTERS _under_ THE GRYFFINDOR TOWER,  
 _06:20 AM_

A _brain-flinching_ jingling noise pierced through the serenity that he had been wrapped up in until a _second_ ago. Harry opened his eyes with great difficulty knowing fully well that, he was NOT going to like what was about to follow. His body ached with _days'_ worth of tiredness and exhaustion starting from the day that he had stumbled upon Sirius's diary.

"Wha-eesid-Ermy-uh-nee?" he croaked, squinting through half-opened eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" came Hermione's brutally chirpy voice. "There is SO much to do, Harry! Lord knows what all we _may_ have missed in just the _last eight hours_! You do realize almost ALL really important and secretive events happen at _night_ , don't you?! It's a miracle that I even allowed you three so much sleep, now GET UP!" she said, wrenching away his blanket most cruelly.

" _Hermione!_ " whined Ron from next to Harry, who, Harry was sure, was pretending to not hear his wife and forcing himself back to sleep. "Would you PLEASE cut us some slack? We haven't slept in _days_!"

"May I remind you that we are NOT here on some vacation, Ron!" she said, scathingly, as she tore open the curtains, blasting the three boys with a jet of sunlight.

 _And you asked her to be your friend FOREVER!_ Harry kicked himself, as he grudgingly pushed himself up from his bed and almost cried bitterly on his way to the bathroom. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ron plopping back into his pillow while, Draco seemed to have not heard Hermione at all. _Why are you the ONLY obedient loser in this world?_ he thought to himself, as he bobbed his head at Hermione as if to say, ' _Good morning!'_ on the way to the shower.

One hour later, the four of them were sat on the floor of the tiny, white room, sipping tea and working out the next plan of action.

"So Hermione, what updates do you have for us, eh? What are we going to do next?" asked Harry, as he sipped on his hot chocolate drink.

"Okay, here it is," she said, tiredly rubbing her eyes. "10 hours' worth of research and I may have found something rather jaw-dropping, if you know what I mean," she said, most solemnly. Harry's heartbeat quickened instantly in anticipation; Hermione, by far, has never let him down when it comes to blowing his mind!

"Okay, so since Ron and I were the sole witnesses to the whole 'swapping of our worlds' thing, I thought I needed to know a little bit more about the Mávrodian Era, because I somehow thought they were far too many potholes in the story—it was missing several important details that we would require to crack this case. And as usual I was right!" she said, and paused dramatically, as if allowing the boys some time to grasp the depth of the matter before she shoved a truckload of information down their heads to process.

"Now we know that because Mávros was so fearsome, people refused to write anything about his time or reign; the people of that time did not want their children and grandchildren to even REMEMBER that a wizard like him ever even existed. And because of this, I had to make-do with whatever information I was able to find and put the pieces together to finally make sense of it all. And after studying over tons and tons of texts that were written around the same time and era, it is clearer now as to _why_ the four kingdoms were even at war with each other: they were after a stone."

Harry glanced at Ron and the two of them exchanged a tense moment before turning back to Hermione.

"Now, we read about Wizard Everard and we know that Irvette was his sister, but what we did _not_ know was, he had three _more_ sisters, and their maiden names were, Aglæca Malvolia Haden, Leonora Alleria Haden, Ebonee Danelle Haden, and Irvette Aerwyna Haden. The four sisters were born of royal blood and were married off into each of the four massive and wealthy factions or kingdoms or _dominions_ or whatever it is that they were called back in the day (but let's just stick to 'kingdoms'). Initially, the four kingdoms would simply battle with each other from time to time to establish supremacy over the other. However, things got extremely serious when suddenly one day, someone let slip the news of the infamous _'Haden Heirloom'_. The heirloom was believed to be a magical stone which would make one immortal. Naturally, the husbands of these four sisters got hungry for power and that's how, a war among the four kingdoms eventually broke out."

 _Well, that escalated really fast,_ thought Harry to himself as a sense of excitement crept in. Where had he heard of this before?

"It was also believed that neither Queen ever revealed who truly possessed the stone, which ultimately drove the Kings mad, making them fight each other ever so viciously, in a hope that at least _one_ of their wives would break their vow of secrecy. However, all hell broke loose when Irvette took her own life on that fated night—Mávros got defeated, Aglæca got captured, Daerian was driven mad with agony, the Caedesmortan kingdom went into Stewardship Rule and the kingdom of Woldorin was almost in a state of shambles.

"At this point, it was believed that, the wise Queens of Armindale and Elvedoria decided to get rid of the stone forever and approached their brother, Wizard Everard. It is said in some of the texts that Everard was rather fond of his youngest sister, Irvette, and was heartbroken to find out that she had taken her own life all because of a ruddy stone, and so, agreed to take it upon himself to safeguard it till his last breath. He lived on for several _centuries_ as per the legends," Hermione paused, knowing fully well that everyone in the room now knew exactly what she was talking about.

"However, there came a time, several centuries later, when he decided to leave the mortal confines of this realm and move over to the other side so that he may finally be reunited with his beloved sister, Irvette. It was at that point that he passed down the stone to his only other living sibling, placing upon her the mammoth responsibility of safeguarding this secret forever," she said, and finally looked up to hear the boys' views on her story.

"Is this what I _think_ it is about?" Ron started, looking totally gobsmacked at his revelation.

"Bang on, Ron," Hermione said, smiling appreciatively at him. The excitement on her face was more than evident, as she nervously squealed out, "It's the _Philosopher's Stone!_ "

"Oh my god," was all Harry could get out, as he speechlessly stared back at Ron and Draco.

"Blimey, Hermione, you got all that from just ONE NIGHT'S research?" Draco asked, grinning admiringly at her.

"Er, excuse me?" said Ron, his tone immediately turning aggressive. "Unless you want a fist-sized hole in your face, you better avoid having ANY _direct_ conversations with _my wife_!" he growled, almost like sending out a warning.

"Ron, don't be _ridiculous_ ," shot back Hermione, but Harry secretly couldn't agree more with Ron. _I mean, the NERVE!_ he thought to himself, balling his hand into a fist and eyeing Draco dangerously.

"So, but," he began, "tell me more, Hermione. I still don't know where you're going with all this," Harry asked, diverting the topic and diffusing the tension between Ron and Draco.

"Right. Of course," Hermione said, clearing her throat and wiping the frown off her face. "In the beginning, I was so taken and so _carried away_ with the history that I kicked myself for having lost so much time with nonsense material, until I stumbled upon yet another piece of information. Scores of books were written following the Mávrodian Era and in ALL of those books, there was one thing constant: in every other time-period, there were mentions of a red, magical stone of _great power_ and one guardian or stewardess, whose origins were known to _none_! Of course every book I read had a different name to this mystery person and _every other book_ described her _differently_.

"One book described the guardian as a half-man, half-woman who would haunt the deserts of Egypt during the Age of the Middle Kingdom; another book called her the 'Rat Whisperer' who would foretell the coming of doom to rat-like species, who would then go on to spreading the message to their masters; yet another book called her a vampire, who drank the blood of innocent people to stay alive. It wasn't long before I realized that _all_ of these books may be referring to the _exact same person_!"

"Are you telling me," Harry began slowly, as a sudden revelation hit him, "that this is ALL about who I _think_ it may be about?!"

"There couldn't be ANY OTHER POSSIBILITY, Harry!" Hermione squealed, as the two of them hi-fived each other in total amusement.

"Hang on!" Draco whined, crossly. "You lot are going too fast, I still need catching up! So, Hermione, are you telling us, that the guardian of the Philosopher's Stone has taken a vow of immortality just to safeguard this secret and that, that woman may _still_ be alive?" he asked, pointedly ignoring the glares from Harry and Ron. Harry wasn't even sure why Draco's innocent bonding with Hermione was pissing him off so much, but he simply wanted to knock the bloke out cold every time he so much as _glanced_ in her direction. Hermione, on the other hand, was pretending to be completely oblivious to this hostility, and sweetly nodded her to Draco's question. "Merlin's beard, are you telling me that this woman we are referring to, really is _Mother Medea_?" he asked, as his eyes popped out of his sockets.

"That _extremely_ wrinkly, and tiny woman, YES!" she said, clapping her hands together in glee.

" _My word!_ " Draco exclaimed, grinning broadly at the rest of them. "But, I thought _Nicholas Flamel_ was the true owner of the Stone?"

"No, Nicholas Flamel was merely the _alchemist_ who _assisted_ the stewardess in developing the Elixir of Life. As a reward, the ancient Queen granted him and his wife, Perenelle, eternal access to the stone and the Elixir."

" _Mind-numbing!_ " Draco said, looking stunned. "So okay, but you still haven't answered Harry's question fully. _Why_ are we after the Philosopher's Stone again?" he asked.

"I thought you'd _never_ ask!" she said, laughing in earnest now. Harry's heartbeat was up again as he anticipated yet another jaw-dropper. "Prepare to be blown away more than ever," she forewarned before continuing. "The Philosopher's Stone is _extremely_ _powerful_ ; more powerful than any wizard could EVER imagine! In fact, the stone's powers were _never_ fully explored, and thus, there is not _one_ _book_ that fully details out all of the stone's properties. However, I might know a little bit more about the stone now. First of all, the stone is crucial because, without the Philosopher's Stone, we would never be able to fix the Resurrection Stone."

"Of course!" Harry exclaimed. "The Stone that keeps one alive can be the only thing that can repair another that brings people back from the dead. Wow, Hermione, you REALLY have outdone yourself this time!" he said, thumping her hard on the back.

Grinning shyly, she turned back to the rest of them. "There's one more thing that we ought to know about the Philosopher's Stone. Apart from keeping you young, the Stone also keeps you alive by giving the user _immunity_ from ANY SPELL IN THE WORLD," she stated.

"Any spell?" asked Ron, with a raised eyebrow.

"ANY spell!" she replied, nodding her head vigorously at him.

"Even..." Harry began.

" _The Death Spell?_ " Draco finished for him.

Hermione was red in the face now with excitement. "Yes! YES! The Elixir of Life helps deflect ALL of the Unforgivable Curses, including the Death Spell! Surely, you know what this means right? This could be our biggest weapon when we go to war against Voldemort in this realm! We could save ANYONE we want, no one will ever have to die!" she squealed.

"I must say, you truly blow me away, darling," said Ron and pulled her close to him while beaming at Harry. "Wow—but—okay, so—but the Philosopher's Stone has already been destroyed though, right?"

"We're in the PAST, Ron! Of course, it's not destroyed! It's in Mother Medea's possession, and we ought to find a way to convince her to borrow it for a little while."

"So, okay, we use the Philosopher's Stone to mend the _Resurrection Stone_ and that would be Hallow number one. The Invisibility Cloak shouldn't be a problem—it's almost a walk in the park! Ron simply sneaks in when James isn't around and _steals_ it," he said, most matter-of-factly, making Ron go extremely pale in the face. "Hallow number three, of course, is the wand. I must _fight_ Dumbledore for that?" he asked, now feeling the heat himself.

"Of course," she simply said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright," he huffed, and thought hard about what else needed figuring out. "So, we still need to figure out the purpose of the sword..."

"Not to worry, Harry, I might already know WHY and HOW the sword might be useful to us. When the time comes, I will tell you," Hermione said, grinning widely. How Hermione ever get sorted in _Gryffindor_ , Harry will never know. _Why, WHY does she have to know EVERYTHING?_ he asked himself, although smirking a little at the thought.

"Okay..." he said slowly. "Alright, so there's just one thing left. Sirius," he simply said, hoping she _did not_ know the answer to that at least as yet.

"Of course," she said, smiling yet again. "Can you think of ANY other reason why we might want the _Resurrection Stone_ to be mended, Harry?" she asked, and for the _gazillionth_ time, Harry felt like a clueless student being questioned by an over-arrogant teacher who took a sadistic pleasure in belittling him in every way possible. He _was_ impressed nonetheless and grudgingly gave it to her, "You're AWESOME," he said, nodding appreciatively.

"Just one more question," Draco said, making all heads turn towards him. Harry only then noticed how their breakfast had been tragically forgotten, thanks to Hermione. "This Mother Medea character—exactly which kingdom's Queen was she? Do you know?" he asked, and Harry was sure Draco, too, was testing the _'Hermione-Is-A-Know-It-All'_ theory.

"Well, it clearly was not Irvette and Aglæca, for _obvious_ reasons," she said, rolling her eyes, like it was yet another 'universal truth'. "So that leaves us with Leonora and Ebonee. Leonora was married to King Arnold Darvell, and since _'Darvell'_ means _'town of eagles'_ , he was _clearly_ a Ravenclaw."

"So Mother Medea was Leonora Ravenclaw," concluded Ron.

"Ron. You have ANY idea how long this woman has remained locked in this mortal world, for the sole purpose of safeguarding some _secret_ that she doesn't even BENEFIT from?" Hermione asked, looking him deep in the eye. "She's been alive for a whole MILLENIAL, Ron, perhaps _more_! Do you even _remotely_ understand the weight of such a responsibility? The amount of patience it takes to carry a burden for so long?"

"So what are you saying?" he asked, most impatiently.

"This. That if there were EVER a person who might be able to do what she did, it could ONLY be a Hufflepuff! This Medea character is none other than Ebonee Danelle Haden-Hufflepuff."


	39. The Love Of A Slytherin

**Chapter 39: The Love Of A Slytherin**

* * *

 **Reference Chapter:** The Dog And The Lynx

* * *

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco spend the next few days with no interesting finds or discoveries since, the 17-year-olds themselves were far too busy dealing with exams and stress.

 **TIMELINE OF EVENTS** (and a short recap before we dive into the story once again) **:**

 **December 21, 1976:** Sirius shows Peter and Remus the engagement ring that he intends to give Isabella as a Christmas present. By now, Peter has already plotted to swap the original with a fake look-alike (the Marauders have not yet discovered that Isabella, in fact, really is a pure-blood witch).

 **December 22, 1976:** Most of the students have returned home for the Christmas hols, except the aspiring sixth and seventh years, who were detained back in school to effectuate the prep for their early N.E.W.T.'s before getting inducted into the Auror program. It is also the same day that Isabella receives the wooden crest from the Ministry that contained her mother's hand-written letter, revealing her ancestry and how she's the direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor.

 **December 24, 1976:** The last three days have been extremely hectic for the seventh-years since they are grilled with back-to-back exams and practicals as designed by the Ministry to assess their skills and suitability to be chosen for the Auror program. To officiate this, the Great Hall is transformed into an exam hall for the N.E.W.T.'s. At 3:30 PM that day, McGonagall finally announces the Chosen-40 that gets inducted into the Auror program based on their performances in the early  
/N.E.W.T.'s.

~oOo **_Later that day…_** oOo~

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
The Boys' Dorms, Gryffindor Tower  
 _5:46 PM_

~o **_Ron's POV_** o~

Ron had had a very uneventful day up until this second which involved aimlessly following the kids around and watching them perform crappy Charms and Transfigurations in their N.E.W.T.'s. He was bored _so much_ so that, he even started to question the very motive of him being stuck in an alternate timeline.

 _I mean why,_ why _, really?_ he had asked himself god-knows-how-many-times during the course of the last three days. _And to think of it, this was all MY idea,_ he thought at least a thousand times as he bitterly acknowledged his growling stomach.

A small smile broke out on his face, however, as he pulled out a little photograph from his pocket and saw two little children jumping into his lap and pushing him to the ground in the name of 'wrestling'. And then all of a sudden, it all came rushing back to him. This is what he's here for. He's here to give his children a better future, a better life. And for that, he was ready to go to any lengths, make _any_ sacrifice needed, and just like that his mood was miraculously lifted.

He heard a shuffling of feet behind him and quickly disappeared behind the gargoyle that guarded the boys' dorms.

" _James, my man, where are you,_ " someone muttered under their breath sounding extremely angsty, as they hurriedly walked down the passageway leading to the dorm. " _Mother Eff!_ " he ground his teeth as he seethed his way towards the door. Without another thought in his mind, he burst into his room and whined, "My GOD, I hate my life!" he announced.

Ron heard James's book thud to the floor as he jumped _two feet_ in the air before landing painfully on his side. "Don't! EVER! _Do that_!" yelled James through gritted teeth while rubbing his chest to calm himself down.

Chuckling under his breath, Sirius put out his hand with boyish flair for James to grab on and pulled him up to his feet. "And what are you ranting on about, eh?" asked James, sounding curious. "Bad talk?" Ron knew this was the moment when Sirius sits down to confess about his intentions with Isabella to James.

An idea suddenly struck.

He needed to creep into the room somehow, but was too scared to go in just yet and so, waited for the boys settle down by the window.

 _* **scurrying noise in the background** *_

"You said it!" Sirius ranted on, "my mother, I mean, she's PURE EVIL and by GOD, is she haughty?! You know what, James, everything's clearing up now, I'm a hundred percent POSITIVE this time!" he raged on.

"Positive of what?" asked James, a look anxiety crossing on his face.

"Positive that I'm actually adopted..." he said, spreading his arms wide open, and staring wide-eyed at James who merely stared back incredulously at him.

"Boy, am I glad I'm friends with a genius!" he mused, sarcastically. "Although, I can't say I'm entirely thrilled of the fact that I nearly died of a heart attack for that piece of GARBAGE!" he said, throwing a book at him which Sirius neatly dodged, grinning to himself. And with that, the two of them slowly made their way to the window, where they slumped down with their backs to the dorm door.

This was his chance. Ron quietly slipped into the dark room and tiptoed towards the darkest corner of the room so that he was fully concealed from view. However, as soon as he settled himself in the dark, his heartbeat quickened and started to hammer against his ribs as he analysed his situation: what if he never found a way to get out? What is someone spotted him? How would he explain himself? What could he possibly even _say_ in his defence?

Shit, he thought to himself as he breathed in deeply to calm himself down. _You can do this, Ron, just trust yourself_.

The boys continued to rant on in the background as Ron's eyes quickly searched the room for some clues to understand which bed might possibly belong to Sirius's.

"…hang on, Peter was there too?"

"YES! He doesn't leave her side for one second! He worships her, James…"

And then Ron saw it. There, on one of the bedside tables about ten feet away, was a small framed photo of a young, handsome boy who had his hand around another, even younger boy, and the two of them seemed to be laughing at some joke. And on that bed sat an innocent little velvet box, the size of a marshmellow.

 _This is it, Ron, do it, do it before it's too late!_

"…are you _proposing_?! _How come you never said anything_?!"

Ron was on stealth-mode now as his heart convulsed uncontrollably in his chest and decided to _just go for it_! Quietly, he lay down on the bed nearest to him and rolled over his back to get to the other side.

 _* **the scampering got louder now and Ron's sharpened senses caught it finally** * Shit!_

" _I was going to!_ " yelped Sirius, and grinned sheepishly at James. "Prongs, I was distracted with Wormtail acting like a nutcase…"

Ron was now directly in front of a window and the moonlight that was streaming in was casting a large shadow on the wooden floor. He quickly ducked so that only the shadow of his head bobbed up and down as fell on his back one more time and rolled under the second bed until he was back in the dark depths of the dorm. _One more bed and you're there, Ron, just focus!_ he told himself as he realized he was racing against time to get to Sirius's bed before the RAT did!

"…what, _Izzy_? Come on, she's not that thick to think you're all high and mighty about blood-status and all, now…" James's voice trailed on in the background.

Ron was sweating profusely now as he held his breath and crawled towards the final bed where the little velvet box sat.

"…just go talk to her, you know how it works, right? I don't know if you're into going down on one leg and all, but I'm sure you'll figure it out!" he said, grinning sheepishly at him. " _Do your thing!_ " he added, with a wink.

And that's when he saw it: a pair of tiny, white eyes staring RIGHT back at him. Ron's head looked like it would explode any second now as his brain pushed the ultra-panic button on! With one determined leap, he saw the rat leap on its feet and jump right on top of the little velvet box. Ron, however, was _not_ in any mood to let a bloody RAT beat him this time and immediately grabbed it by both hands and shook it violently in order to make it drop the box.

"…don't tell her anything yet. That's my Christmas present to her!" Sirius said, as Ron and the rat struggled with each other in the background. The rat was repeatedly biting and clawing at Ron's hands making him wince in pain, but his brain seemed to have cut off all pain sensors, making him continue on like he felt NOTHING. He grit his teeth as he dug his nails right into the rat's flesh too, trying to get it to surrender already!

 _THUD!_

Both James and Sirius swung their heads around at the noise and sprang to their feet. Suddenly, they were as alert as gundogs, as they wordlessly wrenched out their wands in identical fluid movements. The two of them looked extremely dangerous right now, as they mutely stared at the darkened corner of their dorm.

The noise was from when Ron had fallen painfully on his back as he pulled the box out of the rat's clutches. He immediately released the rat which shot out of his hands like a meteor and sprang out the door like a jet.

"Who's there?" demanded James, in his most quiet, yet menacing tone. "Show yourself, _right now_ ," he said, as he and Sirius turned on the lights on their wands.

Ron's entire body was now shuddering with anxiety as he shakily put his hand up on one of the beds to his right and tried to scramble back on his feet. Despite their ominous exterior, Sirius and James, Ron knew, were definitely panicked beyond all expression as they cautiously took a step towards Ron's dark corner.

Suddenly, Sirius's wand was pointed directly at Ron's shell-shocked face and James and Sirius continued to stare on with their eyes wide open.

Time stopped right then for Ron, who held his breath and waited for a reaction from the young Marauders. His palms were sweating and quivering uncontrollably as he stood pressed against the stone wall like a thief who had just been caught in the act.

A moment passed. James and Sirius slowly lowered their wands and scratched their heads uncertainly.

"You heard that too, right?" asked James, as if doubting himself.

"I sure did," replied Sirius, who continued to stare right into Ron's bloodshot eyes, but not really _seeing_ him.

"Maybe it was just a cat," said James.

"Maybe."

For the space of a heartbeat Sirius darted his eyes away from Ron and scanned his bed. His expression hardened immediately, but Ron had already taken advantage of the situation as he shakily stretched his leg to his right and moved as slowly as he possibly could. He can NOT afford to make any mistakes, not this time. He pulled the Invisibility Cloak tighter around his head as he continued to slide away towards the door as stealthily as possible.

"Just so you know," Sirius said, frowning at James, "the ring's gone."

At that second, Ron's clutch tightened around the velvet box as he slithered out of room, breathing heavily.

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
Slytherin Common Room, The Dungeons  
 _6:10 PM_

~o **_Draco's POV_** o~

"Wow, wasn't _that_ entertaining?" Andromeda sneered, as she swept into the common room with an air of confidence and flocked down next to Lucius. "Pity you didn't sign up for the N.E.W.T.'s Lue, you would've snapped those Gryffindors like a twig!" she said, lighting up her pipe and eyeing him intently.

Lucius did not look up and continued to stare down at the happy face of Isabella smiling back at him from the photograph on the weekly Newsletter. The Gryffindors had only just defeated the Slytherins in the finals of Quidditch when this picture was taken, but instead of cheering and shouting like the rest of her team, Isabella was seen pulling Lucius by the hand and smiling for the photographer.

"Why you two are _not_ together, I will never know," she said in a low voice, looking apologetically at his face. "What's the deal with her anyway?" she mumbled with the pipe still sticking out of her mouth.

"Nothing, she's perfect," Lucius murmured back, clenching his jaw in remorse and great longing, as he continued to fix his eyes on her. Draco noticed how chiselled his father's features were: they were almost _made-to-perfection_. If not for the permanent scowl on his face, Draco would regard his father as one of the most handsome men he'd ever seen. Biting his nails in anxiety, he continued to peer through the mesh window of a tunnel that overlooked the Slytherin common room.

"Does she know though?" she asked.

He chuckled bitterly to himself before saying, "There's no way in hell that she _doesn't._ I'm sure the whole school knows by now," he muttered. And, even as he continued to look at the photograph, his eyes darkened as his eyes fell on Sirius.

"That is not what I meant," she said. "Have _you_ spoken to her directly about this? Has she heard from _you_?"

Lucius rolled his eyes. "Rommie, we've been through this…"

"Lucius?" she hissed dangerously and tugged at his hand, making him lazily eye her. "Girls. Like. Big. _Gestures_ ," she said slowly, as if making sure every syllable seeped through the pores of his brain. "We like being _told_ about how a boy feels about us and we like _revelling_ in the moment. I know, _I know,_ we can be _bitches_ when it comes to love," she said rolling her eyes when Lucius winced at her statement, "but that's how it is and you have _got_ to accept it," she said, blowing out the smoke and locking eyes with him.

"Now, Sirius _may_ be my cousin, but _you_ are my friend. And by far one of the MOST amazing people I have and will _ever_ meet in my whole life, Lue. And I'd rather she be with _you_ than with him. Now, if this Williams is all that you _say_ she is, then I think you need to give yourself a fighting chance and GET her."

"Sure, because life's really that _simple_ ," he seethed sarcastically, and clutched the back of his head in frustration before straightening up once again. "I _know_ how she looks at him, Rommie, I see it in her eyes. She _yearns_ for him every second of everyday!" he said, as his voice broke. "You don't understand. It is _torture_ , really, to be sitting there next to her and loving her with ALL my heart only to realize that she doesn't even belong to me… She will _never_ belong to me, Rom, she was always _his_ from day ONE!" he gritted his teeth.

"Who are _you_ to decide that?" she snapped back. She glared back at him before saying, "You know, Lue, more than _half_ of this school's students end up going alone to Slughorn's parties because they _assume_ that the girl will turn them down when, in _reality_ , they haven't even TRIED in the first place! And I sure as hell did not think you'd be one of those _sissies_!" she shot back, and raised her eyebrow challengingly.

Lucius's expression hardened as he glared back dangerously at her. "One more word out of you…"

"And _what_?" she retorted. "This is not about me or _my_ life, Lucius, this is about _you_. And this is not about who's winning the argument, this is about what's best for you and I will ALWAYS want what's best for you, because that  
is my job as your friend," she seethed.

"Rom, if you think this is about _getting the girl_ and crushing Black, then you're DEAD wrong!" he yelled, standing up now and pacing the hall.

"What _is_ it about then?"

"It's about HER!"

"What's that supposed to even _mean_?"

"Rommie!" yelled Lucius, closing his eyes in frustration. "I love her," he fumed, and looked directly into her eyes. "I love her so much that all I _ever_ want is for her to have the BEST in life! And if Black's what's best for her, then so be it!"

"Oh my god, that doesn't even make any sense!" she chuckled scornfully. "So you're letting her go for that load of _garbage_?!" she asked, smiling amusedly and, quite frankly, getting on Draco's last nerve.

"Don't _._ _DO_ that!" Lucius scowled, glaring at her while sporting a shocked smile at the same time. For some reason, this mingled expression of amusement and anger made him seem even more intimidating than ever. "You wouldn't understand, because you don't know what I feel for her," he said, his voice almost slithering away into nothingness. "Given a chance, I would make her one of the _best_ Aurors the world ever saw. She wouldn't have to run away from anyone, including us _Death Eaters_!" he sneered at her face. "If it were up to me, I'd even go against the Dark Lord! I wouldn't hesitate to give up my _everything_ up just to see her smile, Rom!" he yelled, glaring daggers at Andromeda.

Andromeda opened her mouth to spit out yet another retort but was interrupted by someone frantically banging on the door to the common room. Still fuming, Lucius yanked his wand out and drew a green 'S' on the door making it rumble. The door slowly opened to reveal a panting Peter waiting to charge inside and spill the beans.

"Help! Help, please, I need help!" he yelped and dashed into the common room. Shaking from head to toe, Peter surveyed Lucius for a second before spluttering out, "S-Sirius. He is about to meet Isabella near the Greenhouses. But… But…" he panted.

"Haven't got all day, Pettigrew," snapped back Lucius.

"Y-yes, yes, I'm sorry. Malfoy, there—there's an—an intruder—in the castle!" he stammered.

"What?"

" _And he's stolen the ring_!" Peter continued to yell, pulling his hair out almost.

"What _ring_? What are you talking about?" Lucius asked, irritably.

"The ring that Sirius was supposed to give Isabella!" Peter bawled, almost crying now.

"He's _proposing_?" Lucius turned and asked Andromeda with a stunned expression on his face.

Peter however continued like he hadn't heard Lucius. "I mean I was JUST on my way there to switch the original with a fake, just as instructed! It's a trick, really! I was asked to switch the Black-family-heirloom with a fake by Lady Black herself..."

"Why was he asked to switch rings?" Lucius curiously mumbled to Andromeda who rolled her and simply said, " _Family politics_ ," as Peter continued to ramble on in the background.

"...and—and I was _positive_ that no one else knew about it but me, but word must have gotten out somehow, perhaps someone was eavesdropping on our conversation, an _enemy_ perhaps! But what could they possibly want? Who are they targeting? Why would they..."

But Lucius had had enough of his ranting (in fact, Draco was sure his father had _hardly_ followed ANY part of the last bit). " _Pettigrew!_ " Lucius growled, grabbing Peter's collar and shaking him roughly, as if to get him back to focus. "What are you talking about? Who stole the ring? How did he look like?!" he yelled, glaring daggers at a petrified Peter.

"I didn't see his face," he shuddered. "It was far too dark, but I think they're after Isabella. She may be in grave danger, Malfoy!"

"What?!" he yelled, looking genuinely flexed. "When did this happen?" he asked, yanking Peter closer to his face.

"About ten minutes ago," Peter breathed.

Lucius turned around to look at Andromeda with fear riding up his face like fire. He turned back to Peter and asked, "Where's Black?"

"He's looking for the ring! He and James are also searching the Gryffindor tower for intruders, but Isabella is waiting all alone near the Greenhouses!" he said everything in one breath. "You've got to help her out, Malfoy. She may be in trouble," he wept. "She's a good friend, a good… fr—friend… Please…" he pleaded.

Lucius let go of Peter's robes and stared blankly ahead, ridden with worry. "I'll see you in bit, Rom," Lucius said, without even looking back and storming out of the room.

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
The Greenhouses, Hogwarts  
 _6:25 PM_

Draco had followed Lucius down to the Greenhouses and had positioned himself behind a large tree, waiting for the scenes to unfold. Lucius, Draco noticed, was secretly spying on Isabella through the windows of the stone structure whilst covering his head with the hood of his robes, making him look like an _assassin_ of sorts.

An annoyed-looking Isabella stood there with her hands folded, as if she was waiting for someone. Draco could almost feel his father's nervousness as he continued to watch her like a hawk, as if waiting for someone to attack her any second now.

Nothing happened though. All three of them continued to wait, each with a different mission on their minds.

Well over ten minutes into the scene, however, Draco was starting to feel frustrated and, just as he was about to give up and head back up to the castle, he saw Lucius jerk up, almost like he'd been hit by a sudden bout of courage. As if drawn by an invisible force, Draco watched his father almost float towards her. His expression was a cocktail of conflicting emotions ranging from sorrow and betrayal to being _irreversibly_ in love with her.

Isabella still hadn't noticed him, as she kept eyeing the castle, waiting for Sirius.

"So, I reckon congratulations are well in order," came Lucius's steely voice, making Isabella's head swing around in surprise.

She raised an eyebrow in surprise as their eyes met. "You cared enough to find me and congratulate me on getting inducted into the _Auror program_?" she asked bemusedly.

He smirked coldly at her. "No, I came here to say that you're number ONE on the Dark Lord's hit-list and yet, none of this is going to do _anything_ to keep you alive," he said with a silky voice, meeting her with cold eyes. "You're too _weak_ to be a warrior, Bella, you don't know the _first thing_ about being an Auror," he smirked, clearly sparking a nerve in her.

"If I were you, I'd watch what comes out of my mouth next," she said, her face stiffening with anger. "There's a whole _army_ of Aurors in that castle who're being trained to fight off Dark Forces such as yourself, Lucius," she whispered, moving close to him in an intimidating manner. "And we'd stop at NOTHING, I assure you," she hissed, right into his face, but Lucius did not even bat an eyelid, as he continued to amusedly stare back into her eyes, his face sporting just a hint of a smile. "I won't stop until I've avenged my parents, Lucius, so go ahead and push my buttons, I dare you," she said through gritted teeth, stabbing him with a cold glare.

"Interesting," he muttered, moving even closer to her, his face mere _inches_ away from hers now. "So, tell me, princess," he said, flirtatiously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "say you come fact-to-face with Regulus. Are you telling me that you would simply lash him with the Death Spell?" he crooned, tilting his head a little in amusement. "That your sense of nobility will _not_ let you bury the hatchet with an old foe?" he asked, spitting venom with every syllable he spoke. "That you wouldn't see the young, helpless little boy that you played with as a child when you are standing in front of 'Regulus, the _Death Eater_ '? That the memories of days gone by will _not_ cloud your vision and make you think _twice_ before attacking him as a true Auror IDEALLY _should_?!" he demanded.

Isabella stared on confused, as if she was stumped for words. "I—I… What?" she breathed.

"That's what I thought," he said, triumphantly before roughly letting go of her hand. "I think it's time," he randomly declared and, to Isabella's utter horror, suddenly did the unthinkable: with a fluent swing of his hand, he gracefully yanked his wand out in the blink of an eye! Without flinching, he mercilessly pointed his wand directly at her.

Isabella's hands instinctively shot up in the air in surrender. "Lucius, what are you _doing_?!" she asked, sounding almost horrified.

" _Teaching_ you, Bella. Care for a battle?" he asked, smirking coldly at her.

"Lucius, for _heaven's_ sake, I'm not going to _battle_ you!"

"Rule number one for warriors, my love," he spat out and circled around her ( _and with what_ style _!_ ) "...cut off ALL emotions and ties you may have with the enemy. For all you know, there might come a time when you may have to face-off with _me_ , Bella, what are you going to do _then_? Are you going to simply stand there and back out of the duel like some shoddy _coward_?!" he spat out, taking swift steps towards her again and towering over her in the most intimidating manner.

"Honestly, why are you doing this?!" she yelled right into his face, her own face flushed with anger.

"To get you to fight me," he cooed teasingly, and without warning, raised his wand and shot out a thick, black band of rope that circled around her and tied for her full measure to a point where she could hardly even move.

"Lucius!" she shrieked.

"Turned on even a little bit, sweetheart?" he leered, provoking her more than ever.

He jogged away from her one more time and saw her face twist into a bloody ball of rage and revenge as she eyed him with a fire burning in her pupils. With one terrifying shriek, Isabella pushed her hands outwards, making the black band to cut painfully into her skin. She balled her hands into a fist and continued to battle with the rope until finally it snapped open!

"You," she said, menacingly. "You want me to fight? Fine! I _will_ give you a fight," she said, wiping off the blood on her forearm.

"Rule number two," he said, laughing lightly to himself, "NEVER tell your enemy _when_ you're going to make your move, my love," he said, sporting a smug smile on his face, " _you just do_!" he yelled, and before he had even _finished_ talking, he attacked her with a hex that stung her flesh.

"Lucius, this is MADNESS!"

" _Fight back!_ _Forget_ who I am, Bella! Forget all your memories of me! Detach yourself from me ENTIRELY and _fight!_ " he yelled, clenching his jaw in annoyance. "I am _nothing_ but your enemy right now, do NOT let your feelings for me cloud your thoughts!"

"What? Have you COMPLETELY _lost_ it?" she shrieked.

"Oh my god, I _have_ to be ruthless with you, haven't I? You're leaving me with _no choice_!" he said, feigning helplessness and attacked her yet again, but she instinctively ducked and dodged his spell.

As she straightened up, it was evident _even to Draco_ that Lucius had finally crossed the line. Shock and hurt seemed to consume her entirely as she mutely stared back at him: never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Lucius to get so merciless with her. And hence, when he raised his wand yet again to blast her with another curse, she was ready. She blocked him neatly, whilst giving him a death glare.

Lucius's eyes sparkled with wonderment. " _My word_ ," he whispered, in total admiration.

"Hit me," demanded Isabella, clawing her gaze with his.

As if bound to an invisible code, he raised his wand one more time, only this time, it was _Isabella_ who struck first: _she was going on the offense_!

"All you Gryffindors!" Lucius chuckled, his face livid with excitement as he flirtatiously hammered her back with _mouth-watering_ hexes, "It's so easy to get you all riled up!" he called out, amidst screeches of hexes flying everywhere.

Despite the trash-talk, however, there was not a sliver of ripple to Isabella's focus as she steadily upped her game, prompting Lucius to keep up. Lucius seemed to gladly comply and suddenly, ALL that Draco could ever hear were the unforgiving howls and the whoops of deadly spells flying everywhere as the two of them into a _spine-chilling battle_! Spell after spell, hex after hex, his wand bludgeoned hers repeatedly but, she blocked him again and again and _again_ , getting better and faster each time. It was now a battle to the DEATH!

Lucius and Isabella's hands were me moving at the speed of light as the pace of the duel got quicker and more dangerous than ever before! Lucius's eyes, however, were genuinely dilated with awe at Isabella's skill...

" _Merlin,_ help me!" Lucius begged, even as he _hammered_ her with hexes.

"Shut up, Lucius!" she screamed, still blocking him determinedly.

"Rule... number... three," he managed to spell out amidst the shower of spells, his eyes brimming with admiration for her. "Always," he said, hammering her with a curse, "always," he said, twirling around and thrashing her yet again, " _always,_ " he stressed, finally stopping and boring his eyes directly into hers, "GO FOR THE KILL!" he hissed, and suddenly withdrew his wand and spread his hands out as if welcoming her to take her revenge on him.

Isabella, too, panted to a stop. "I am NOT going to fight you, Lucius! I don't WANT to fight you so, please! _Please_ stop, I beg of you!" she begged through gritted teeth.

For a split second, Draco saw his father's face soften and get entirely consumed with defeat. But he was not going to back down... "How about if I called you a _hagwhore_ one more time?" he said, clenching his jaws in obvious regret.

That. Did it.

Draco thought Isabella's face might just explode any second as "No one EVER humiliates me!" she shrieked and shot him with a curse as deadly as death itself! A very startled Lucius tackled it beautifully but also nodded in appreciation at her, as the two got into a _full-blown duel_ yet again.

"You really ARE very good, Bella!" he managed to dish out between his _whup!_ and _shush!_ while smirking teasingly at her the whole time. Draco found it very hard to gauge his father's current mood.

"Learning from the best," she called out sarcastically, making him laugh even more.

Draco merely stood there, stunned at the battle. Never before has he ever seen so much skill and precision and _flair_ in a duel EVER BEFORE; not even when the Order fought the Death Eaters. This was truly the real deal, he thought as he gaped on completely mind-blown.

"My DARLING, I think I'm _falling_ for you!" called out a genuinely love-struck Lucius when Isabella sent out a _particularly_ nasty curse at him.

"Make me stop, Lucius!" she pleaded.

"You're getting started only now, my love," he said, and there was sincere admiration in his voice. "Show me what you've got, beautiful."

Something sparked in Isabella as she processed that comment from Lucius. Suddenly, she locked eyes with him, raised her eyebrow challengingly, and drew her wand away, ultimately blasting the duel to a stop. Lucius looked stunned and raised his eyebrows at her, as if asking her to explain herself.

"Rule number four," she said, coldly. "Have compassion," she said and clenched her jaw as determination washed over her body. Lucius merely stood rooted to his spot, and was rendered absolutely speechless.

" _Izzy!_ " came a voice from a distance. Draco turned towards the Greenhouses, which was almost half a kilometre away now. Even from this distance, the slender and long body of Sirius was unmistakeable. Soon after Sirius appeared, Draco saw James's silhouette too. He turned back towards Isabella and Lucius who seemed to have NOT taken their eyes off of each other for even _one second_ ever since the duel stopped.

" _Hey, there she is! Good lord,_ " Draco heard Sirius say to James and the two of them started to jog towards the pair.

Isabella still did not care and continued to glare at Lucius, who looked absolutely tongue-tied at the moment.

"Compassion," he repeated, as a slow frown formed on his face. Sirius and James were hardly fifty _feet_ away from them now and Draco couldn't help but panic like crazy over the situation.

 _They're almost here,_ he thought desperately to himself. _Sirius_ will _kill_ _you!_

But Lucius did not care. To Draco, Lucius seemed to have melted _entirely_ under Isabella's spell, making him quiver slightly with emotions brimming to his face. And as he continued to be spellbound by her, Draco saw Lucius rise to his full height, square his shoulders, lock eyes with Isabella and walk _straight_ towards her. Isabella didn't move an inch as she watched him stalk her with a newfound determination. The closer he got, the shallower her breathing became as if she itched for him get to her faster. However, before she could flinch, before she could even let out the breath that she had held on for so long, Lucius slipped his hand around her neck, pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips.

Sirius and James stopped dead in their tracks.

Time stopped. For ALL.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion now as everyone watched the pair exchange such passion for each other. Draco's jaw dropped as he watched Lucius kiss her again and again, gently and tenderly, but _oozing_ with fervid love and adoration. And what's worse? Isabella was kissing him back. And at this second, this _very_ instant, it almost felt like, Isabella truly belonged to Lucius and Lucius ONLY.

And just when Draco thought the two would snog on _forever_ , he saw Lucius kiss her one last time and they broke apart. Neither were willing to open their eyes just yet. Draco lightly shook his head in disbelief.

Lucius breathed out, his breath coming out in a scurry of shivers. "I will love you," he started, caressing her face with his left hand, "till the end of time itself, my darling," he said and blinked back tears. "Choose me," he whispered, almost pleadingly, "for I couldn't imagine life without you…" he said, and rested his forehead against hers.

~o **_Ron's POV_** o~

" _What the f**k_?"

* * *

 **A/N: This has been one of the hardest chapters I have ever had to write given the amount of detailing I had to follow and the kind of conflicting emotions I went through despite knowing the plot fully well up until this point. It felt so wrong and yet, SO RIGHT in every possible way. I didn't know I was capable of writing anti-climaxes and keeping it real at the same time till now.**

 **Which is why, I am really, reeeally hoping to hear everyone's thoughts on this one. Would love to get some reviews. Thanks... :)**


	40. Weasley Is Our King!

**A/N: Thanks a lot for being so patient. Here's the next update.**

 **P.S. New milestone: 9,300+ views... Absolutely thrilled, you guys, thanks a lot.**

 **yoga0401: I apologise in advance for the use of profanity in this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 40: Weasley Is Our King!**

* * *

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
THE GREENHOUSES, HOGWARTS  
 _6:46 PM_

~o **_Ron's POV_** o~

"Bloody _hell…_ "

He stared on thunderstruck at the scene that was unfolding right in front of his eyes: Lucius is brazenly kissing Isabella in the middle of the school grounds for the whole world to see; Sirius and James are gaping on looking just as flabbergasted as Ron was feeling currently; Draco is slinking away into the depths of the woods like a total _coward_ ; and all of this for a godforsaken fake ring—the keyword here being _'fake!'_ —that Ron clutched tightly in his sweaty hand.

After what felt like an _eternity_ , Ron saw Lucius and Isabella finally break apart and stare dazedly at each other, completely oblivious to the effect that this was having on Sirius. A tinge of pity surged down his spine as he watched Sirius almost die a little on the inside: Isabella was slowly slipping through his fingers, it seemed.

"I will love you forever till the end of time itself, my darling," Ron heard Lucius say, looking deep into Isabella's eyes. "Choose _me_ ," he pleaded, "for I couldn't imagine life without you..."

She didn't say anything and just stared back, completely lost for words. However, the first words that came out of her mouth confused Ron even further because, to him, it sounded like she said, " _Sirius…_ "

Isabella suddenly seemed to jerk awake and bolted her head to her right to peer over Lucius's broad frame and lock eyes with the only boy she'd ever been in love with her whole life.

Ron's head immediately turned towards Sirius and noticed him staring right back at Isabella, exchanging close to a _million_ thoughts and emotions that everyone else was completely oblivious to.

And even as she stared back looking confused and apologetic, Sirius simply stood there rooted to his spot, too weak to even move a finger just yet. James, on the other hand, seemed to have had a complete nervous breakdown as he cautiously put a shaky hand on Sirius's shoulder asking him to calm down. But Sirius shook his head sadly as if letting James know that all hope was lost. And in all this time, he hadn't removed his eyes off of Isabella even for a fraction of second, making it that much worse to watch Sirius go through this ordeal. However, the longer Ron watched him, the faster Sirius's mood seemed to change, going from being downright helpless to _absolutely_ bloody _mad_.

 _Teenage drama_ , Ron whispered to himself and rolled his eyes.

Lucius finally let go of a stunned Isabella and dared himself to turn around and face the wrath of the _Lion_. Sirius was surprisingly displaying a mature restraint that Lucius frankly wasn't aware that he was capable of. James sensed the tension between the two boys and patted Sirius lightly on the back as if to say, _Don't lose it just yet, mate,_ before turning around and moving a few steps away, giving the two some space.

At first, Lucius was hardly able to maintain eye-contact with Sirius who stood there with his thumbs stuck down his jeans pockets in a challenging manner, waiting for him to make his first move. Isabella's anxiety shot up like a rocket when she whispered a frantic, "Lucius, wait," and held his hand to stop him from getting any closer to Sirius, but he merely shrugged it off and started walking towards the Gryffindor boys in the most _'let's-settle-matters'_ sort of way.

" _Unbelievable!_ " she exclaimed as Lucius continued to betray her and inch closer towards Sirius. Panic soared through her body as she dashed past Lucius hurtled towards Sirius instead.

"Sirius, baby, you've got to listen to me," she pleaded, but he wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes bore into the snake-like, hazel eyes of the Slytherin heir who was flouncing at him with a newfound determination. " _Honestly?!_ " she screamed when she realized he wasn't paying her any attention either.

"Stay out of this Isabella," he muttered, pointing a dangerous finger at her.

The full name.

Ron's never heard Sirius address her by her full name and knew for sure that shit's gotten completely out of hand now. Isabella seemed to feel the same way too because she merely raised her eyebrows in astonishment and stared back with hurt playing in her eyes. Sirius, however, didn't seem to care and swiftly swept Isabella out of the way as Lucius finally approached him, their faces mere inches away from each other now. The death glare that the two of them were sporting was so hair-raising only the Hungarian Horntail would hang its head in shame, but this drama had reached a new level of melodrama-ness that Ron couldn't help but watch on with 'bored curiosity' (oxymoron, _I know!_ ).

"If you're even _half_ the man that I _think_ you are," started Lucius, hissing right into Sirius's red face, but before he could even finish his sentence Sirius threw his head back and guffawed angrily before turning back to him. "Wow, that's pretty much the _worst_ thing you could've said to a _Gryffie_!" he mock-laughed, sneering at Lucius with an amused grin on his lips and a murderous glare in his eyes.

Lucius was not impressed. He merely gaped back at him disbelievingly. "Why, thank you, you just helped prove a point," he scorned back, eyeing Sirius like filth.

" _Malfoy?_ " came James's warning from behind Sirius. "If I were you, I'd _shut up_!" he said, glaring daggers at him.

"Stay out of this, _Antlers_!" Lucius called back, with venom spewing out of his eyes. "You and I can talk if I ever get it off with your _redhead_ , so bugger off until then," he sneered back, almost grinding his teeth.

"YOU FUCKING _BASTARD_ …!" James started, but before he could even take a step a further, Sirius had already gone all 'Hulk' on Lucius, smacking him right in the nose and flooring him entirely. "I dare you to say more!" Sirius growled at him and wrestled him to the ground. Both Sirius and James looked like they wanted him DEAD right this second, but James, being the wiser of the two, decided to act less petulantly.

"Let him go, Padfoot, he's not _worth_ it!" he spat out and grabbed him off of Lucius. He however, had to hold on tight to his best mate's shirt, because Sirius was gladly ready to throw in a second death-punch. Lucius for his turn, though, decided to lighten the mood with a very _ridiculous_ , "Why, I reckon I deserved that," he said, wiping his nose and duly acknowledging his own impertinence.

"Yeah, you're lucky Sirius got in the way, really," James raged on, and looked almost ready to wrench Lucius's eyes out with his _bare hands_. "You'd all of be DEAD right about now had I got to you first!"

Lucius merely nodded. "And I believe you," he muttered, still sporting that _irritatingly_ honest tone while he spoke. "I was out of line… _Twice_ if I should add," he said, this time looking straight at Sirius.

"Start talking, Malfoy," came Sirius's grim voice.

"Why, thank the stars, I thought you'd _never_ ask," he leered, and stared Sirius down one more time with as much malice as he could possibly muster. "You saw what you saw, Black, and your eyes weren't deceiving you…" he started.

"Lucius stop it…" said Isabella, who had helplessly watched the proceedings from the side.

Lucius ignored her and continued. "If she truly _did_ love you, she wouldn't have stood there, _begging_ me to show her what it would be like to be in love with a Slytherin!" he seethed. "If there weren't any feelings there, and if there TRULY wasn't any spark between us, _you_ wouldn't still be here demanding an explanation from me! It is what it is and you'd better accept it," he spat out.

"Why are you _doing_ this, Lucius?" she cried from the side, but going by the look on Sirius's face, it was evident, _even to Ron_ that, Sirius, albeit begrudgingly, agreed with Lucius.

"Why?" Sirius started, almost shaking with anger and grief. "Why, WHY?! Why couldn't you just GROW A PAIR and…"

"I thought I just _did_! I'm in the picture too now, Black, and there's NOTHING you can do about it, is there?!" Lucius bellowed right into Sirius's face and the two of them got into yet another bone-crushing fist-fight, struggling and wrestling against each other. James and Isabella exchanged worried looks before dashing forwards to intervene and break the two of them apart before they gnawed each other's faces out.

"Both of you STOP IT!" shrieked Isabella, grabbing on to Lucius's robes and holding him back tightly while James held on to Sirius. "I've had ENOUGH of the two of you behaving like a bunch of school girls fighting over a piece of _candy_!" she bellowed, fuming almost. "And I REFUSE to be toyed around with like this, I'm not a Quaffle for _heaven's sake_!" she cried once again, this time her voice echoed across the grounds.

"Stop YELLING, Izzy, we wouldn't even BE here if it weren't for you!" Sirius growled. Isabella looked stunned, stung beyond measure at Sirius's words. "None of this would be happening if you'd just hexed him or _kneed_ him right when he so much as _breathed_ on you! But no, you chose to do the exact opposite of that, didn't you?! You…" he said and stopped himself. All the steam seemed to have blown itself out and all Sirius was left with now was grief. " _You kissed him back_ ," he muttered.

Suddenly, those grey eyes no longer bore the playful innocence and charm that made it so mesmerising and alluring. Instead it was now overcome with grief and despair. "You wanted him just as much as he wan…" he didn't finish the sentence. He couldn't. Ron noticed that Sirius had stopped struggling now.

"Sirius, please…"

"'Please' _what_?" asked Lucius, and this time, it was _his_ turn to look wounded. "Is it not… _true_?"

"Lucius, you've got to understand, it was in the heat of the moment…!"

"What the _bloody hell_ is that supposed to mean?! And that's an excuse for _snogging_ him?"

"Sirius, for _Merlin's_ sake, would you PLEASE hear me out?!"

"Yes, go on, please, _I'd_ like to know what happened there too, because _clearly_ I've got it all _wrong_!"

"Lucius, don'tmake it harder than it already is..."

"Why, because you don't have the plucks to _admit_ the truth about how you really _feel_ about me?"

"You know _jolly well_ what I mean! It's not LIKE THAT…!"

" _What IS it like then_ , Izzy? Help me out here, 'cause I'm _dying_ …!"

"Yes, Bella, what _is_ it like?!"

"Oh my god, I don't _know_! _OKAY?!_ I. Don't. KNOW!" she shrieked and collapsed on the floor crying.

Sirius and Lucius exchanged looks. Ron saw Draco roll his eyes in the distance. James merely looked gobsmacked.

" _Wow_ ," he muttered audibly enough for everyone to hear.

No one spoke for a really long time. The effect of her words seemed to linger longer than the universally accepted span of time for shock to settle in. Going by the looks plastered on the two boys' faces, Ron wasn't sure who looked _more_ shocked and hurt than the other, as they continued to watch her bawl her eyes out. After almost forever, it was Lucius who finally broke the silence.

He moved close to Isabella and put his hand on her chin to turn it up to face him. "If you do make up your mind," he started, gently rubbing her cheek with his thumb, "you know where to find me," he said, frowning down at her. "I'll always be here for you," he whispered and almost slithered away from the scene.

In a second, he was off, marching towards the castle without even a cursory glance back at the boys or Isabella.

Awkward silence. Sirius couldn't look at Isabella the same way anymore and James didn't seem to know what he was even doing here in the first place.

 _Wow. You managed to turn the whole world upside down in just a couple of hours?_ Ron thought to himself, as he leaned on to a nearby tree to support his involuntarily twitching body. _And all this_ _because one_ tiny _ring was out of place…_

It was all very strange, really… Coming to think of it, Ron realized just how closely this incident resembled that epic battle that took place between the clans of Gryffindor and Slytherin in the Mávrodian Era: that infamous sword fight between Irvette and Mávros which led to him falling hopelessly and irrevocably in love with her… How Sirius and Isabella are the Cursed Pair who had to bear the spoils of a war that took place several _hundred_ years ago only to relive that moment _all over again_ with a new antagonist!

And coming to think of it, the situation for Isabella was in no way easier now, because honestly, _how_ was a person expected to choose between two boys who are so similar in _every possible way_ that they might as well have been one and the same? Both Lucius _and_ Sirius are extremely intelligent, charming and _equally_ dickheaded as they could possibly get. They both come from awfully powerful, pure-blood families whose histories date back to the beginning of Magic itself. They were both very close friends with Isabella and both of them adore her _to her bones_. Nobody messed with them, what with their awfully unerring aims, making them both equally deadly with a wand and, _both_ of them were far too advanced in Magic for their age. The only difference between the two perhaps was this: one would go to any lengths to protect her while the other would do anything under the sun to expose her to her enemies. While Sirius wouldn't let _anything_ harm her, Lucius would not stand watching her cower in fear.

And even as Ron stood there dissecting the topic (and almost shredding it to pieces), a new sense of realization dawned on him: whether knowingly or otherwise, he somehow has helped create a change in the way the story ought to turn and that… it was all going to be alright no matter how it ended. It was all because of _him_ , Ronald _Bilius_ Weasley, that the future is going to be so different.

 _Good different, I hope_ , he thought to himself as he waved to Draco who was watching him from the far side of the pumpkin patch (James had awkwardly convinced Isabella and Sirius to head back up to the tower and sort it all out while Ron had zoned  
out).

Ron waited until Draco jogged towards him, his face looking flushed with worry. "Okay, Weasley, I did not understand one bit of what happened there," he huffed, as he climbed up to where Ron stood. "Give me a brief on what had actually happened according  
to Sirius's diary?" he asked, as the two of them started towards the castle.

Ron merely grinned in response. "It is confusing, isn't it? It's confusing to me too, by the way, but let me try and break it down for you," he said and collected his thoughts before speaking up again. "Wow, okay, so er… from what I remember, this was supposed to have been that moment when Sirius proposes to Isabella in the Greenhouses, and, as soon as he slips the ring on her finger, they get attacked viciously by an 'assassin' who, by the way, was dressed exactly like Lucius had," he said, making Draco's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Yeah, we'll come to that later. But according to Sirius's diary, the 'assassin' attacks Isabella repeatedly until Sirius fends him off by taking on his dog form.

"Later that night, according to Sirius's diary, Sirius meets Dumbledore in his office and learns everything about how he and Isabella are the Cursed Pair. Dumbledore also tells him that there was a sub-clause to the curse which states that, if there ever came a time when Isabella would sacrifice her life for Sirius, the wrath of Mávros Slytherin would get unleashed and it would mean the end of Magic itself. Also, the longer they stayed together, the bigger the War would get; more destruction, more mayhem and more deaths."

"Okay, but what changed all this? Why didn't I see any of this happen?"

"Because I did something that caused all this change. I stole the ring."

"Wow, you merely stole the ring and THIS happened instead?" Ron merely nodded at him. "Okay… But, what's any of this got anything to do with an assassin in the background?" Draco asked, as they moved past scores and scores of food stations in the kitchen where the elves were frantically running around with important jobs.

"According to Dumbledore, the Ministry hired an assassin to off Isabella, because they thought if they got her out of the way themselves, they would minimize the risk of exposing the Magical community from climaxing. He also explained that, offing her was the ONLY way of salvaging the future of Magic either way," he concluded and turned around to meet the flabbergasted expression on Draco's face.

"So in reality, however, we saw no _'assassin'_ near the Greenhouses today and that should mean only one thing: that it was no assassin, it was merely my father all along?" he added, uncertainly.

"Maybe. And it fits right?" said Ron, knocking their bedroom open and flopping on the bed nearest to the door. Harry and Hermione hadn't yet returned to the room from their day. "There couldn't be any other explanation. Also…" he added thoughtfully. "Wait a minute," he said as revelation hit him in waves. "Of course! Ooh my god, why didn't I think of that earlier?!" he exclaimed, feeling astounded.

"What? What is it?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Nothing, just that… Despite my efforts, Peter _did_ spot me today in his Animagus form and what's the FIRST rule of time-turning?"

"You can't be seen," Draco said without even thinking.

"Exactly! But I DID get spotted today and, since I am an 'outsider' ( _in every sense of the word_ ), naturally word got out! The whole of the Gryffindor tower was in an uproar about an intruder who was stalking Isabella and who also went to the point of stealing her betrothal ring. No one saw what he looked like or where he might possibly be and hence, when a masked boy got caught attacking Isabella outside the Greenhouses, Dumbledore and everyone else automatically went on and assumed that he was hired to kill Isabella. I get it now! _I_ was the reason Lucius got referred to as an 'assassin' in the actual past too!" he concluded and stared at Draco for his reaction.

"I think we've done it, Weasley," is all he could muster up. "I think this was exactly what needed to be changed about the past… I think history is finally on the path of course-correction."

"I don't know why but I couldn't agree more with you. There's only one problem though. There's Lucius in the picture now… What would happen to Sirius and Isabella? They're the Cursed Pair, they're _destined_ to be together forever… What's going to happen to them?" he asked, sounding extremely anxious and worried.

"Only one way to find out," he smiled at the redhead.


	41. The War Within

**A/N: I am SO sorry! :( I know this update has taken forever, believe me I wanted it out so long ago but I wanted it to be perfect! I am still not sure if its perfect but enough is enough. Here it is. Please don't hate me... :(**

 **Before we move on though, I'd like to give a SHOUTOUT to _Celeste38_** **for being SUCH a _wonderful_ reviewer! You made me smile more than once and all of this feels SO totally worth it because of YOU, so thanks a millioooon! I hope I don't let you down with this update:)**

 **Also, reviewers _Loki-The-Evil-God_ and _Jaya-Avendel_ : THANK YOU!:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 41: Strange Dreams**

* * *

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
CRAMMED ROOM, ELVEN QUARTERS _under_ THE GRYFFINDOR TOWER,  
 _8:15 PM_

~o **_Harry's POV_** o~

Despite having spent nearly four hours cooped up in the library, Harry and Hermione had managed to scrape just the tip of the iceberg when it came to decoding the Magic behind The Veil. Frustrated as hell, they had returned to the Elven Quarters only to be jumped on by Ron and Draco as the two ranted on about all that they had witnessed a couple of hours ago (Harry was mildly— _scratch that_ —he was stupendously shocked to see that Ron and Draco had managed to stay in the same room for well over two _hours_ and still had their eyes firmly screwed in their sockets! Fighting a mad urge to questioningly clear his throat at their 'chumminess' _more_ than once, Harry decided to take the 'mature' route and reserved the joy of mutilating the boys' egos for another time). At the end of Ron's rather dynamic narration, however, Harry's mind was buzzing with questions.

"Why—Why exactly did you steal the ring again?" he asked.

"Yes, Ron, why _did_ you steal it?" Hermione repeated. Harry thought he saw her face flare up just for a second before it disappeared. _Uh oh…_

"Er…" began Ron, looking more embarrassed than anything else. "You want the truth?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

"More than I want to punch Pettigrew's face, yes," offered Harry.

Draco let out his rather 'lofty' smirk before turning to look at Ron, waiting for an answer.

"Well," Ron began, "for starters, I was bored and _ratty_ since I had managed to learn _nothing_ the whole day. Also, I reflected on just HOW much there was for us to accomplish on this stupid mission, and honestly, I wanted to contribute in some way. It's the least I could do if you know what I'm saying…"

"No, back up just a little…" Hermione cut in. "So you're saying you stole the ring because—because you were _bored_ …?" she asked, staring wide-eyed at him.

"Let. Me. FINISH!" Ron protested and made a face at her before turning to the boys, brimming with excitement as that of a three-year-old. "Where was I? Oh yes! So, honestly, chaps, it was a _terrible_ day, really," gushed Ron, making it look like he'd battled a dragon single-handedly and managed to bring it on its knees with his _bare hands_! "And I wanted to add some _spice_ to the day, you know, be _useful_ of sorts. So, I sat there watching Sirius and James discuss Mrs Black when suddenly, this idea struck and it was too good to resist! I mean, we _all_ know that that ring was bad news right from the start! And obviously I couldn't let the unfortunate incident take place, because, hey…!" he said, abruptly stopping at mid-sentence, as if the rest of it was barely 'universal truth'?! "So I jumped right into the scene and _Merlin's beard_ , did it feel good?! I felt like an undercover Auror sent on a deadly mission and really, fellas, when you've travelled back in time _knowing_ what is bound to happen, you feel all this POWER in your hands, like you could accomplish anything, you know, and I'm a true Gryffindor, because what sort of a bloke does _not_ take advantage of a situation like this and gives his ALL for the sake of the ' _greater good_ '?!" he exclaimed and stared wide-eyed at the boys, as if expecting them to give him a standing ovation for his absolutely selfless act.

Harry and Draco, though, merely turned around to look at Hermione's raging face.

That was the last time Ron was allowed to be on his own.

…

"I can't BELIEVE you're doing this to me!" sulked Ron as he Hermione latched the handcuffs around his wrist. His hand was now firmly attached to Harry's and the rule was he goes wherever Harry goes, NO EXCEPTIONS.

"We don't want anymore 'bored' accidents, now, do we?" Hermione asked, sporting an ominously calm expression, only, she was failing miserably because Harry was NOT buying it. He knew all too well that that smile was a toxic cocktail of a million messages that Harry and Ron didn't need spelling out for the sake of their _lives_. "Besides, I'm not taking any more chances with a 'hormonal Auror' on the loose!" she snapped looking straight at Ron's distraught face.

Ron scowled even more. "I'm never talking to you ever again," he lashed out at his wife, sounding every bit lordly and not _AT ALL_ puerile.

"Thank heavens, I thought that day would never come!" she retorted, feigning astonishment before dismissing the two of them. "Harry, follow the Marauders and please keep your eyes and ears open," she fumed. "What's happened has happened, and quite frankly though, this little turn of events is opening up a whole new box of possibilities and I would be lying if I said I am not just a tad bit curious to know what happens next."

"Ha! And who do we thank for _that_ , Granger?"

" _Not helping_ , Ron," growled Harry, giving him a pointed look asking him to shut the hell up. "Alright, so we'll get bouncing then, I need to see this to believe it!" he added grinning at Hermione this time. He had to admit, he was rather thrilled to finally be around where the action was. With a hopeful wave, the four of them set off on their individual tasks as assigned by Hermione.

 **DAY 4:** DECEMBER 24, 1976  
THE NORTH WING TERRACE, HOGWARTS  
 _08:40 PM_

James and Peter sat on the ledge overlooking the school grounds, their legs hanging on the wall of the stone tower. Going by their expressions, it was evident that they were still stressed about what had happened in the Greenhouses earlier that day. "How do you think he's doing, Prongs?" Peter asked out of nowhere. James merely shook his head and continued to stare into the peaceful night. The two of them looked like they were waiting for someone.

Harry wasn't sure if it was _because_ he was fully aware of Peter's lies and backstabbing at every turn, but it looked like Peter was almost _always_ in a state of anxiety. For a brief instant, however, Harry couldn't help but feel a stab of pity for the boy: it really was his lack of courage—a quality he is most likely to have acquired from being grossly neglected—to stand up for himself that everyone (yes, _even_ the Marauders) took advantage of.

Suddenly, the door to the terrace burst open and in walked Remus looking extremely spent and weary. "There you are. We were getting worried," said James as he greeted his friend with a friendly pat on the back. As soon as Remus joined the two of them on the ledge though, James allowed himself to eye Remus worriedly before asking, "So, how is he holding up?"

"Well, let me see," said Remus and stretched his hand out to give them the count. "Apart from crying himself to the point of _acute_ dehydration, refusing to eat, spluttering out food when I tried to _personally_ spoon-feed him and falling asleep _only_ because I let him take on the dog form so he could curl up on my LAP, I'd say he's taking it _extremely_ well _._ "

"Wow. Heart of a lion, hasn't he?" wheezed James sarcastically. However, he looked like he'd burst out laughing any second now but, given the gravity of the situation, well… _he ended up laughing either way_. "Oh, what I'd give to watch a replay of that…" he guffawed, in spite of himself. _Such brats, good_ lord _!_

Remus grimaced. " _Very_ sensitive to people's feelings, aren't we?" he said, nudging him playfully but also sending out a _'seriously-though-stop-it-that's-our-friend'_ look to James.

"Alright, alright!" complied James and slouched his shoulders in defeat. "But Izzy, though. God, can you believe that girl? I mean, honestly, that would probably have been THE last thing I'd ever have expected from _her_ , you know? Th—I mean—we were _such good friends_ and I respected her SO MUCH…"

"Whoa, hang on. Um… exactly _why_ must all that change now? Are you telling me that you respect her less NOW because you learnt that she's confused about _whom_ she might possibly like more?" came Remus's voice of reason. "Let me tell you, James, just because she might not fancy our friend as much as we'd all _want_ her to, it can _not_ imply that she's a bad person!" he huffed and waited for his friend to retort.

Silence.

An _EXPLOSION_ had gone off inside James's head, that part was extremely clear to Harry. His immediate reaction, however, was the irony of it all because, he simply _gaped_. But, James being James NEVER disappoints, because, just a _second_ later, the barrage came in.

"Are you MENTAL?! For _Merlin's_ sake, Remus, let's _please_ give 'diplomacy' a break and call a spade a spade for ONCE? What went on today was BEYOND rotten…!"

"Are you HONESTLY going to make me _school_ you on how to be an adult about this?!"

"And, are you telling me that you're not even a _little bit_ upset about Izzy's behaviour?"

"Actually, _yes_! I am not upset because she can't help who she likes! There's no unwritten code that if one falls in love with Sirius, one must _forever_ be in love with him?!"

"That is NOT what I meant…"

"James, if anything, she'd want us to be there for her NOW more than ever! Think about it, Sirius was her EVERYTHING. Now you think it's easy for her to hurt him this way, let alone admit the fact that she might fancy _two_ _boys_ at the same time?!"

"That's beside the point!" argued James. "She's not allowed to do that to _our_ friend…"

"Except _he's_ allowed to treat her any way _he_ wants during her first few years here, isn't that right?" **Peter** suddenly spoke up, making them both turn to look at him. Harry for his part thought his father looked rather astonished at Peter's tone but held his ground either way. "You know what your problem is, Prongs?" Peter asked jumping off the ledge and walking over to James. "You realize something is wrong ONLY when it happens to you! _Everything_ is fair as long _you're_ doing it to _someone else_! The _second_ someone wrongs you or your precious friends, you're quick to hate them with ALL YOUR HEART like they _owe_ you something! And Padfoot, the _prat_ that he is, would do anything the gang leader says, making it that much difficult for us all to even _breathe_ ," he bellowed.

"What?! Now that was uncalled for… Neither James nor Sirius has ever done that to you or me, so drop it!" Remus warned. "And don't make this about you, Wormy."

Peter looked stunned beyond all expression. "Are you actually defending him _again_ , Remus?!"

"I am merely speaking the TRUTH," Remus yelled, dragging all the yelling to a stop. "It's not fair to project one's insecurities on someone else, Peter," said Remus in a low, albeit serious tone. "James has NEVER treated you badly, in fact, if anything, he's always protected you like a watchdog, so I'd watch my tongue there," he said glaring sternly at Peter. "As for you," he said turning to James, "I'd appreciate it if you'd cut her some slack and be her _friend_ instead of seething with rage over something that doesn't even CONCERN you! Do you hear me?" he asked, eyeing them both authoritatively.

James and Peter merely nodded and took the deal that Remus had oh-so-wisely extended. Such maturity—Harry was impressed.

"James… Remus, Peter?" came a voice from behind and Harry turned around to see Isabella standing at the entrance to the terrace. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, cautiously.

The boys looked taken aback to find her standing there and, as Harry was sure, were all wondering how much she had heard. Going by her expression, however, Harry decided to go with ' _a lot_.'

He also noted that despite Remus's advice, it looked like James simply could not see her as his friend anymore and awkwardly eyed his mates before standing up and leaving without even glancing in her direction— _typical James_.

Remus sighed apologetically at her. "You know how he is…"

"He's a fierce friend…" she started.

"…who tends to get overwhelmingly unreasonable if something were to happen to _any_ of us," Remus finished, whilst sporting a warm, fair smile. "Give it a couple of days," he said, giving her a friendly pat on the back.

"Nooo," she wailed, while allowing herself to be dragged to the ledge by Peter. "Why is all this _happening_ to me?!" she howled even more loudly, making the two boys chuckle a little despite the gravity of the matter. "Honestly, I'm so glad I have you and Peter to talk to, Remus, I was losing my mind these last couple of hours," she said, as she tiredly rubbed her forehead. "Sirius won't even _talk_ to me and Lucius, well… I don't want to ever SEE him again, that IDIOT!"

Remus laughed out loud. "Oh, what's he done this time?!" he teased, sporting a mock-shock expression on his face, making her forcefully break into a reluctant grin before drowning in self-pity and guilt all over again. "You don't understand, Remus, Lucius is SO hard to read sometimes that I've resisted the urge to poison his drink with a drop of Veritaserum on several occasions _just_ to know what's running in that large, bony head of his!"

"Really? And, what, Sirius was a walk in the park?" he asked, _most_ innocently.

Isabella's grin got wider this time as the truth hit her: Of course not! Sirius had been equally, if not _more_ , difficult to understand too. "Alright, alright, fine, I accept defeat!" she said, raising her hands over her head. "What do I do? Remus?" she asked, eyeing him helplessly.

"You could begin by explaining how this all even started…?" he offered.

Isabella suddenly went pale in her face, and for a brief moment, Harry thought he saw fear flashing in her eyes. Clearly, she was _not_ expecting anyone to ask her about this. Words seem to fail her as she mutely gaped at the two boys who were resolutely hanging on to the question. It was also evident that under normal circumstances, she might have flipped and brought upon herself a severe case of brain aneurysm had someone asked her the epic _'how had it all started?'_ question. Given the intensity of what had happened a couple of hours ago, however (kissing the wrong boy is _definitely_ a whopping _9.5_ on the Richter's scale for teenage drama!), Harry was sure Isabella was spent beyond expression and didn't have the energy left to even _suitably_ throw a fit before she assaulted the question with a fitting explanation.

"I… Well…" she stammered, unsure of where to begin even. "I… Oh god, I'm sorry Remus, but I can't do it," she finally confessed. "I can't talk about it, _Merlin_ , I can't even believe what I saw! It's appalling and unutterable in _every sense of the word_! More than anything, I am _terrified_ of myself and… I dunno, embarrassed, _revolted_ and shocked all at the same time! I think my mind is playing tricks with me, Remus, because one second I am content and the next, there's this hollow inside of me as big as a _Black Hole_!"

A cricket somewhere croaked loudly.

"Er… Okay… Clearly that was the wrong question to have started with…?" said Peter, looking bemused beyond belief at her sudden outburst. "Let me make it simpler," he said, clearing his throat and getting into position. "Izzy, do you like Lucius?"

"He's my friend! Of course I like him!"

"Wh—No, I mean—s _eriously_? I meant do you like him as _more than a friend_?"

"Er… No. I mean… I… Erm… _Maybe…_?"

"Maybe? _Maybe_?" he asked incredulously. "That doesn't even begin to answer the question!"

"Peter, calm down!" said Remus. "'Maybe' is good enough, Izzy, ignore him," he said, smiling warmly at her. "Get to the point though, what about Sirius, do you love him even _remotely_?"

"What sort of a question is that, OF COURSE I love him, Remus! Very, very much! With _all_ my heart, yes!"

"Then _where's_ the confusion?"

"That's just it! There _wasn't_ any confusion until I came face to face with that _rotten mirror_! I didn't know I had such desires burning in me until I saw it for myself in my own reflection!" she sniffed. "It was like, all these emotions were bottled up in my subconscious and the moment I laid eyes on it, a dam seemed to have cracked open, flooding me with _unspeakable_ thoughts and feelings that I cannot even remotely _digest_!"

Remus and Peter merely blinked.

That was, obviously, _too much_ to process in a span of three seconds.

"What mirror?"

"And what _dam_?!" asked Peter, stupidly.

Both Isabella and Remus stared at him disbelievingly for about two seconds before mutely ignoring his gross inanity and focussing on more important things at hand. "Tell me everything, Izzy, no more secrets," said Remus, sounding every bit serious this time.

"But…"

"No. First of all, this has made me realize that we're dealing with something a lot _bigger_ than just _teenage hormonal imbalances_ ," Isabella rolled her eyes, "and secondly, I sense Dark Magic here. And it's gotten me worried. Now, you know you can trust me and Peter with all your heart, don't you? And if you're worried about us judging you, I can assure you with indubitable confidence that we won't."

Something in his tone seemed to work, because Isabella suddenly looked like she was bursting at the seams. And it came like a hurricane, gushing and slamming the poor fellas with everything that had taken place on that fated night when Isabella had discovered the Mirror of Erised and how it reflected back one's deepest and darkest desires and how a strange locket that Snape was wearing around his neck released this MONSTER that later went on to sucking their whole world into the Dark side (I know, when one puts it _this_ way, it sounds a lot cooler and a LOT less scary than what had _actually_ taken place)! At the end of that epic narration, all Remus and Peter could do was gape nonsensically before Wise Lupin shook himself off of the trance and continued his interrogation.

"You've still conveniently left out that part about what _you_ saw in that mirror, Izzy," he said, with a slight smile on his face.

She mutely stared back at her wise friend with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Such a shy person should not be allowed to have the stubbornness of a mountain troll! Physically steeling herself against the temptation of throwing herself off the roof of the tower, she nervously eyed him before finally dropping the bomb: "What if one day you woke up and saw blood in your hands, Remus? What would you do?" she asked in the smallest of voices.

*And, there goes the panic button*

Harry could visibly see Remus and Peter's jaws drop as they eyed her most dazedly, no doubt bewildered beyond belief. From his left, Ron made a noise as that of a cat being strangled and Harry fearfully shrugged before turning his attention back to the scene in front of them.

"Wh- _Where_ are you going with this?" Remus finally asked.

Isabella's face had gone extremely pale and weak all of a sudden. An acrid mixture of emotions seemed to be flooding her entire body but her face remained as blank as a placid lake. Worry lines cut deep in her forehead as she spoke up again. "Tell me, Remus, how would you feel if you stood in front of a mirror and saw yourself as a—as a _completely different person_? Someone even beyond your wildest dreams, someone you couldn't even _begin_ to fathom?

"How would you feel if you one day woke up saw blood in your hands?" she repeated. "Innocent people's blood splayed all over you and yet, there's no remorse in your face. All that there _is_ , is you feeling all-powerful… _merciless_ and wicked? What would you do if one day, you woke up… and saw yourself as… A _Death Eater_?"


	42. An Outsider in the Castle

**A/N: So the last month was spent prepping for baby sister's wedding... Enough said, I think :P Personally, I wanted this chapter to be longer, but I changed my mind since it was too sweet just as it is... Hope everyone enjoys this chapter:)**

 **Update on 10-Sep-2017: And my,oh my! 10,000 reads at last! :) Thank you all SO MUCH for reading my story till now! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 42: An Outsider in the Castle**

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
 _07:30 AM_

~o _**Harry's POV**_ o~

Christmas…

But, Christmas _minus_ the usual flurry of excitement that Harry usually experiences on this beautiful day. In fact, had Hermione not pointed it out in the most _'just-so-you-know-but-there's-no-time-to-jump-about-given-the-mission-at-hand'_ sort-of-way (yeah, she's not sadistic _at all_ ), Harry wouldn't even have realized that it was ' 'Christmas Eve' when Isabella had dropped the _nuclear bomb_ on everyone.

To be frank, Harry had this feeling that the group of four had seen and done _far too much_ _damage_ to History than was rationally possible for an average human being so much so that, Hermione decided to stop and get a reality check from Dumbledore before they caused any more tragic twists to the already messed-up events of the past.

And so, there they were, sitting in front of a very worried-looking Headmaster. His expression was unreadable, Harry noted. In fact, he hadn't so much as _batted an eyelid_ in all this time, which made Harry's stomach clench with worry.

"Has it been just… four days?" he suddenly asked out of nowhere. "Is it _really_ possible to change almost everything about History and rewrite a whole new story… _in just four days_?" he asked, this time more to himself than anyone else, causing Harry's stomach to nearly _Avada Kedavra!_ itself in the gut.

 _This was not going to go well_.

"What's the matter, professor?" came Hermione's fearful voice. "Have we botched it up beyond repair?" she asked, gracing Ron with one of her nastiest looks.

Dumbledore merely chuckled, but Harry somehow sensed that there was something he was not telling them.

"No, Hermione, my dear, I was merely admiring the power of Time Travel and how dangerous it could be if handled carelessly. Fortunately, in our case, I must say everything is going more or less according to plan."

"Plan, what plan?" snapped Draco. "There wasn't any plan to begin with, was there?" he asked, turning around and looking at them with an expression that was a mixture of suspicion and confusion. "Are you tricking us again into doing something we;d regret later?" he shot out, making Ron, Harry and Hermione to turn and look at him with disbelieving eyes.

"Draco…"

"No, I'm not done talking," he lashed out yet again. "Now, these three here may worship you and may be naïve enough to walk _blindfolded_ into your death trap but I am _not_ one of them! I don't trust you, I never have…"

" _Draco_!" squealed Hermione.

"…and since I have grown to care for these hot-headed, pea-brained, _blood-sucking_ bunch of _morons_ ," he said, pointing at Harry and Ron, "I'm going to do them and myself a favour and walk out of this mission until the 'plan' has been properly disclosed!" he yelled and folded his hands adamantly across his chest.

"Draco," started Harry. He could not _believe_ that the idiot had the nerve to speak that way to _Dumbledore_ of all people. Still feeling dazed he said, "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, mate, but we kind of… _trust_ Dumbledore… _most blindly_."

"Yeah, doesn't that explain a lot?" he snapped back, giving them all a pointed look.

"Honestly, Malfoy…"

"Harry?" offered Dumbledore, requesting him to keep calm. "There's an old saying in the wizarding world," Dumbledore looking straight at Draco's distraught face. "' _Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago._ ' And this, I believe," he said, referring to the current state of affairs, "might just be one such thing," he said, looking at Draco.

"However, one must always remember," he continued, as he surveyed them all through his half-moon glasses, "that a good change inevitably comes on the back of _terrible_ sacrifices made by a bunch of extremely brave souls," he said, stopping to look pointedly at Draco again, "and one must graciously learn to take these little shortcomings in their stride, because for something _good_ to happen, something bad is _equally critical_ ," he said, this time looking straight at Hermione's face.

Harry and Ron exchanged puzzled looks before turning back to face their Headmaster. "I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand," said Harry. Personally, he hoped that that came out sounding as casual as possible and not one bit cantankerous.

Dumbledore didn't say anything immediately as he continued to mutely exchange a million messages with Hermione (or at least that's what he thought was happening when he observed the intense locking of eyes of his Headmaster and his best friend). "With time, you'll know what I mean, Harry. But for now," he said, finally tearing his eyes away from Hermione, "we have more important things to address…"

"Yes, ABSOLUTELY…!"

"Oh, you've NO idea, really…!"

"You couldn't have said it better…!"

"Is it all our fault, professor? Have we actually managed to ruin _everything_?!"

"Like, seriously, what's the deal with PETER?!"

"And Isabella?!"

"And the Mirror? And she being a _Death Eater_?!"

"Oh, don't you forget about Bellatrix, that b-!"

"And the RING! Oh, what's going to happen about the ring?! It's all _Ron's fault_ , really!"

"Why, thank you so much, dear _wife_ …!"

" _And the Philosopher's Stone_! Professor, I've decoded the significance of the…"

"But lads, come of think of it, I would _never_ have imagined that old lady to be a _Hufflepuff_ , you know, mate…?"

"Yeah, I _know_! Bunch of sissies, those people…"

"Ron, Draco, honestly? Do you boys _really_ want to hear Hermione go on about how ' _beauty is what's on the INSIDE_ ' one more time?!"

"I have NEVER said that…!"

"That's it. Quiet! Everyone!" Dumbledore clapped his hands and the group instantly fell silent as if hit by a _Silencio!_ spell. Chuckling softly to himself, he hoisted his head on to his hands and said, "I think we have managed to establish that there, indeed, _are_ far too many things to address immediately, thank you very much," he said eyeing them all gratefully. "However, I hope to assault them one by one instead of ripping the poor things apart in such a cruel fashion?" he offered, with a twinkle in his eyes.

Before Dumbledore had even finished talking, Hermione's hand had shot up in the air, and for a split-second, Harry felt like they were all back in school, sitting next to an extremely competitive know-it-all. "Professor, could we please begin with Isabella and the Mirror of Erised? I am terribly shocked at what I'd heard and would like to understand a bit more about _why_ she saw what she saw."

"Power, Hermione," he simply said, smiling gently at Hermione's horrified face. "That's the problem with power; when one is bestowed with too much of it, one's desires tend to burgeon to indescribable heights. And, although I may have played a small role in turning her into a beast, it had to be done for the sake of the greater good. Let me explain.

"Isabella is the direct descendant of Gryffindor and her destiny was clear from the start. From the time of her birth, it was established that she will play a crucial role in the war against the Dark Lord, except that, her wand will _never_ magically come in contact with that of Voldemort's. So, if Isabella was to never battle Voldemort personally, how was she crucial to winning the war, you may ask. To that, I want to say this: not everyone is meant to stand in the front and watch Him fall; we already have a Harry for that. What we _need_ , however, are people who would _help_ Harry along the way and keep him alive until the time is right for him to fulfil _his_ destiny.

"And so, being fully aware of Isabella's tragic purpose in the wizarding world, I was in two minds about bringing her to Hogwarts and introducing the concept of Magic to her because, I knew that she would suffer a _terrible_ fate if I ever did. But, can I afford to be that irresponsible? Despite the consequences, I had to do the right thing. The world _needed_ Isabella. James and Lily _needed_ Isabella to protect them until the birth of Harry. Had it not been for _her_ , we would not have had the Boy Who Lived to kill You-Know-Who.

"How do you think Sirius managed to remain alive in Azkaban for twelve long years for a crime that he _never_ did? How was it possible for him to find the will to live when his entire world had come crashing in on him twelve years ago? I believe it was because of love… Right before she died, she sent him a patronus, begging him to stay alive for the sake of his daughter; begging him to not forget her; begging him to go on without her… Now, he may not _remember_ any of this, he doesn't _have_ to, because her love was enough to fuel his will to live for that long in a place infested with Dementors. And that love was what brought him back to Harry; it allowed him to guide Harry in a way that no one ever could and made sure he was strong enough to vanquish Voldemort.

"So great was her purpose in life that I had to ensure NOTHING kills her until the time was right. So I trained her personally, I made sure she learns every form of Dark Art there was… I made her _invincible…_ "

"…but giving someone power comes with a price," Hermione finished Dumbledore, as if she'd read his mind. Harry noticed her face was flushed with awe. This was _not_ how Harry had expected this session with Dumbledore to go.

"Precisely," smiled Dumbledore. "If you look closely, you'll understand that Tom Riddle had also started off like Isabella and in reality, the two aren't very different. What's different about them however, is the choice that they make. Presently, Isabella is still on the path of discovering just how powerful she really is, but, as she learns more, she gets more powerful; _so_ powerful that her Magic is starting to radiate involuntarily and disconnectedly from her mind and wand. She's at her vulnerable worst at the moment.

"As per Sirius's diary, even in the actual past, I had occasionally noticed the ripples in her affections for Sirius and it had gotten me worried. However, since nothing materialized, I'd brushed it off. I realize now that I had indeed been right. When Isabella came face to face with the Mirror, she saw for herself the demon that was silently sleeping inside of her and she realized that this was what her heart truly yearned for… _bled_ for. And so, when she battled Lucius and realized just _how_ much he encouraged her to unleash that very demon, she melted instantly. So now, it is Lucius that she truly wants, not Sirius."

"So, is that it? Is this how it's going to end in the 'future past'?" asked Harry, almost hyperventilating at the thought. "She's going to end up crossing over to the other side?!"

"You can never be sure of anything, when you've meddled with time, Harry, so we'll simply have to wait and see," he replied. "As for the rest of you, my advice would be to let things take its own course. Like I always say, _there are no accidents_. Whether by accident or otherwise, History is on the path of rewriting itself and we need to make full use of it. This war is crucial and the triumph of Light over Darkness is even more critical. We cannot afford to make mistakes, not this time."

Everyone nodded their heads. "Until the Time is right," Hermione offered with a smile.

" _Until the Time is right_ ," concurred Dumbledore.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
 _08:43 AM_

~o _**Ron's POV**_ o~

Most unusually, the morning in the Great Hall felt like the inside of a volatile, ticking _time bomb_ as the entire student body nervously anticipated a virulent WAR to break out any second. And who could blame them? It's not every day that two of the school's biggest heartthrobs from opposing Houses locked horns over a _girl_. Also, given the 'love' that the Slytherins and the Gryffindors generally share for each other, it is only fair to expect some amount of crisis on any given day.

And even as Ron sat noiselessly at the Ravenclaw table and munched on his egg casserole, he couldn't help feeling flabbergasted at the speed at which news travelled in Hogwarts. _Like, didn't students have anything better to do at all?_

And even as this thought crossed Ron's mind, he saw the mood in the Great Hall change entirely when a bunch of Slytherin boys stood up and pointedly stared at the Gryffindor table. The Marauders, however, couldn't care less as they chatted away casually while shooting them with hostile glances now and then. A burst of murmur broke out as the other House students hurriedly made way to dash out of the room before the bunch of lunatics lost their minds entirely and mass-murdered everyone in the room!

Thankfully, Professor Flitwik walked into the room to catch a Slytherin boy yell out a, "You sissies better watch your backs..."

"And you'd better watch your MOUTH, Mr Carrow, if you still want to pass your Charms this year!" the mousy professor barked out before announcing the first session of the day for all aspiring Aurors.

It was almost 9 o'clock now and all the students would flock towards the grounds for their Auror training session. _I'd better catch up with the gang before it's too late_ , he thought, and nonchalantly ambled towards the Marauders.

"Sirius!" someone called out from the back and Ron cautiously turned around to see Isabella's hand up in the air as she waved it frantically at a puffy-eyed Sirius who was walking slightly ahead of Ron. In all honesty, Ron had expected Sirius to shrug her off and avoid her entirely. Sirius, however, surprised him beyond belief when he mutely stopped dead in his tracks and waited for Isabella to catch up to him.

Ron immediately pulled the Invisibility Cloak out of his pocket.

"Sirius, do you have a minute?" she panted and halted in front of him. Despite the lights and the glitter and the twelve beautifully decorated Christmas trees that lined the walls, Ron thought the expression on Sirius's face was sad enough to shroud the whole castle in darkness.

"Sirius, please I really need to talk to you," she pleaded.

For a moment, he didn't say anything as he mutely battled a particularly large lump in his throat. Before long, however, he sighed resignedly before grabbing hold of her hand and leading her out of the Great Hall. Ron silently followed them.

The corridors were nearly empty now as Sirius and Isabella climbed up to the first floor, his hand still firmly gripping hers. The two of them pushed into an empty classroom that looked over the school grounds. As soon as he'd shut the door behind them, he dragged her towards the front of the class, held her by the waist and hoisted her up on the high teacher's desk so that their visions were more or less aligned.

"Sirius, what are you..."

"Just shut up, Izzy, I beg of you," he said and silenced her instantly. He placed his hands on either side of her and blinked back tears. Despite the sorrow that was consuming him however, he gathered up the courage to look her straight in the eye and say, "I don't care, Izzy. I don't care anymore..."

"No, Sirius, would you _please_ just hear me out...?"

"I thought I asked you to shut up," he snapped back but regretted it immediately. He bit his tongue and closed his eyes briefly to collect himself but nothing seemed to work. " _You're killing me_ , _Izzy,_ " he sobbed and hung his head, making her eyes water instantly. Almost instinctively, she wrapped her hands around his head and pulled him closer to her, making him break down entirely.

"I know, _I know_ ," she sniffed while fondly stroking his head. "And I'm so sorry for putting you through this, Sirius, I didn't mean to, really..."

"No, no, Izzy, I don't want your apology, that's not what we're here for," he said, finally looking up. His dew-laden eyes surveyed her for a moment. "I'm not here to tell you that I'm angry with you, neither am I here to demand an explanation from you. I brought you here to simply say that I... that I _understand_ ," he sighed, even as his voice trembled as he said those words. "I understand if you don't feel the same way as I do for you, I understand if you like that _arsehole_ more than you like me..."

"Oh, Sirius, but that's not true _at all_...!" she sobbed.

"Shh, let me finish," he said firmly, but fondly at the same time. "Izzy, I just wanted to tell you that I gave it a lot of thought last night and realized just how selfish I've been all this while. I've not treated you right, not for _one day_ until now," he said, lovingly wiping her face and circling his hands around her waist. "And I feel _terrible_ that I wasted precious time trying to protect my _arse_ of a reputation when I could've spent it being around _you_!" he sighed and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "You're _wonderful_ , Izzy... You're so kind, so generous, so forgiving, and yet so _strong-willed_. You're a no nonsense girl and that's what drives me nuts about you!"

"You really think all that about me?" she sobbed, as fresh tears poured down her face.

"Yes, baby, I do and I still do _love_ you," he smiled warmly, nodding at her tear-ridden face. "Which is why I am about to do what I am about to do: I am finally going to fulfill my job as your best friend. I want us to be inseparable and I want you to be able to rely on me for _anything_ under the sun," he croaked out, reaching for her wet face and tilting it up face him, "even if it means talking about Lucius," making her raise her eyebrows in surprise. "And if that Lucius is all that you _think_ he is, if he's any good at all, I'll gladly give you my blessing..."

"Sirius, you're being silly..."

"No, I am not! I am just being your friend, Izzy. I am just doing what I should have ideally done for six long years. So, this is how it's going to be," he said, straightening up to his full height and pulling closer to him. "You and I are going to hang out _like_ _it's nobody's business_!" he said, making her laugh a little. "We are best friends first more than anything else and you can take all the time in the world to figure things out for yourself. And no matter WHAT your decision is, I will love you just the same, so you don't have to worry about anything ever again," he said, lightly knocking his head against hers making her break into an even wider grin.

She bitterly wiped her face and wound her arms around his neck. "I don't know what I'd ever do without you, Sirius," she whispered looking deep into his eyes. "Thanks a lot for being so understanding. I _will_ find my way back to you, Sirius, I promise..."

"Even if you don't... it's fine," he said, with as much sincerity as he could muster. And, even as his eyes started to water all over again, he shook it off and hugged her in earnest instead. A stray tear ran down Isabella's cheek as she held on to him like her life depended on it.

"Baby?" she said, still wrapped in his embrace, "what made you change your mind about hating me?" she sniffed.

Sirius chuckled a lightly to himself and broke away to give her a tight kiss on the cheek. "Remus," he said, staring adoringly at her. "He managed to knock some sense into me."

"Bless him," she grinned.

"Now, come on," he said and pressing his lips to her forehead one more time before hauling her off the high table and landing her firmly back on her feet again. "Time to meet the gang..." he chuckled and led her out of the classroom.

A slow smile crept up on Ron's face as he watched the two friends steal out of the room with their hands around each other. They two really did work better as friends than anything else...

Ron silently followed them out of the classroom, watching him throw his hand around her neck and mutter something that sounded like, " _So, we can still be 'friends with benefits', right?_ " in her ear which made her slap him lightly across the head.

"You are NOT allowed to come anywhere _near_ me when we're alone!" she muttered back while pushing her nose up the air and pretending to be uptight, which didn't quite work at all since Sirius simply swooped down and kissed the tip of said nose.

Ron couldn't help but grin at the friendship that these two shared and continued to walk down the corridor when something caught his eye. Far below, right outside the Entrance Hall, a hooded figure with a long black mast stood stalk still and watched the two of them like a hawk. For a second, Ron wasn't quite sure who that may be or why they'd be watching Sirius and Isabella, but when the pair turned around a corner and slipped out of view of the watcher, Ron was sure something VERY fishy was up as the watcher backed away and disappeared behind the Whomping Willow...


	43. Sacrifice Be Their Price

**A/N: Please do R &R... Thank you:) Also a SHOUTOUT to _Genow98_ for the follow and _Celeste38_ for the wonderful reviews as always! You make me want to make this story better just for you! =)**

 **Also, for all those who have stayed with me for the past year as this story got written, I can't tell you just how much I love you all... Thanks a lot for not giving up on me... :')**

* * *

 **Chapter 43: Sacrifice Be Their Price**

* * *

 **Reference Chapter:** James's Army

* * *

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
CRAMMED ROOM, ELVEN QUARTERS _under_ THE GRYFFINDOR TOWER,  
 _08:58 AM_

~o _**Hermione's POV**_ o~

 _Think, Hermione, think! You_ know _the answer, you just don't_ see _it… Think, think… think…_

She closed her eyes in complete exasperation knowing fully well that her brain has betrayed her in the most crucial time ever! She can't afford to feel tired now, not when she's so close to cracking the case. Absolutely _bloody_ NOT.

"You do realize that I can _hear_ you think, don't you?" drawled Draco, who seemed to be bored beyond expression as he sat opposite to her, kicking butt at being _totally_ useless. "Do you want me to help you in some way…? Organise this mess perhaps…?"

She gasped. "No, no, no, are you mad?" she exclaimed, as she threw her entire body over the desk, trying to shield her precious research material from Lord Fancy Pants himself. " _Don't even THINK about it_!" she squealed, looking horrified at the offer. "I thought I asked you to be helpful!"

"And by 'helpful,' you mean…"

"Leave me alone!" her eyes the size of tennis balls now. "Just go… _play_ or whatever…" she said, shooing him away from her work desk.

Draco raised an eyebrow, his expression dangerous. It was evident that this was the first time someone's ever had the balls to _'shoo'_ him so indiscreetly, especially since he was _'Lord' Malfoy_. Under normal scenarios, it would have been more than fair to expect Draco to simply flip his wand out and _Crucio!_ fy the mortal that dared to speak to him that way. But we're dealing with _Hermione_ here, and hence, it completely caught her off guard when Draco merely croaked out a, "Alright then. I'll be right here if you need me."

A shiver ran down Hermione's spine as she realized just how ticked off Draco was, going by the intense clenching of his jaw. But she couldn't let him know how intimidated she was of him. O _f course, not_. Mustering up every ounce of courage she had left, she cleared her throat and spat out a, "Good! And don't talk to me until I say so!"

Fuming, Draco merely gulped down what could have been a _very_ _brutal_ response and resorted to simply sizing her up one last time before turning his back on her and walking out the door. With shaky hands, Hermione returned to her research, feeling particularly disconcerted. She glanced back towards the door and saw Draco's head disappearing down to the Elven quarters.

"Alright, focus, Hermione. Look for clues, look for clues, it needs to be here somewhere…" she kept muttering under her breath as she scanned through scores and scores of notes that she had made from the start of this little journey. And even as she tossed a couple of parchments out in utter frustration, her eyes landed on a parchment titled, ' _The Prophecy of the Cursed Pair._ ' Scrunching her eyebrows together, she pulled it out and reread the prophecy:

 _'Cursed be their fate,_ _ **Sacrifice**_ _be their price…  
One last time, The knot He doth tie…!'_

"Sacrifice…" she read out loud and bit the end of her quill. " _Sacrifice_? Hang on, there was no sacrifice…" she wondered out loud as total confusion set in. "What sacrifice could the prophecy _possibly_ be referring to? Am I missing something…?"

"I really think you should chill out more, you know?" suddenly came a voice from the door. Hermione squealed like she was flung out a 20-storey building, making her spill ink all over the table.

"WHAT did I tell y…?"

Draco slammed a jug of water on the desk, silencing her altogether. "Don't forget to hydrate yourself every once in a while… What are you, a monster?" he scoffed angrily. "Anyway, since I am of no use here, I'll be napping in the meanwhile," he simply stated and marched off towards his bed.

The shock had still not lifted when he started walking back to the other side of the room with a slow tease forming on his lips. Hermione merely cocked an eyebrow in mock annoyance as she watched the over-sized, blond baby dive onto his bed and burrow under the covers. " _Why are you so nice to me_?" she muttered to herself as she continued to watch the horrific creature flail and thrash the cushions most mercilessly.

"Because I'm a decent chap," he muttered back, still kicking at the blanket and causing such a racket. Hermione's cheeks instantly flared up in embarrassment as she quickly tore her eyes away from him, pretending to have not heard him at all. "Thanks for noticing, by the way," he winked at her before tossing over one last time and falling still, making her blush even more furiously.

"Oh don't flatter yourse..." she started with every intention of denying all silly assertions he'd made, but suddenly froze in place. A shiver ran down her spine as a sudden realization slowly dawned upon her. With her eyes still fixated on the blond head of Draco, the revelation as big as a storm slammed her with waves and waves of shock as she tossed the idea about in her mind… _Could it possibly be…?_ Her eyes widened further with shock. _Oh—my—god…_

As if struck by a bolt of lightening, her mind buzzed with words that shot out from a corner of her brain…

 _…the battle between Irvette and Mávros will always be remembered…_

 _Mávros' obsession for Irvette spread like plague!_

 _…gloom fell across the rest of the three factions._

 _Irvette's Seer foretold that a war would be fought for a hundred years…_

 _Daerian will die…_

 _…the faction will perish…_

 _…and Woldorin will NOT have an heir…_

 _Woldorin will not HAVE an heir…_

 _Woldorin will not have an HEIR…?_

Hermione covered her mouth in shock with a shaky hand. "Oh my god…" she whimpered as realization struck her all over again. "Oh my god!" she flailed her hands in complete panic as she acknowledged what was happening. "Oh dear god…" she relived the story of the _Cursed Pair_.

 _That night, Irvette was seen singing a lullaby to her new-born one last time…_

 _…a silver light fell from the highest towers of the castle…_

 _…not a scream was heard…_

"Oh MY GOOOD!" she screamed from behind her hands as her eyes started to water and tears poured down her face. "Oh my god, no, please don't be true!" she sobbed as she shook her head in denial. "This _can't_ be true, please tell me this is _not true_ …!" she begged as she frantically rummaged through her desk to find a fat, old book titled, _'The Rise & Fall Of The Sacred Age.' _Shakily, she turned fistfuls of pages until she landed on page 742 one where she had highlighted several texts.

 _'The kingdom of Caedesmort went under Stewardship Rule upon the fall of its great King and army-in-chief, Mávros Slytherin, soon followed by the untimely demise of King Daerian Gryffindor. The death of Daerian gained Woldorin its youngest King, who was only twenty eight days old. At this point, it was believed that, the wise Queens of Armindale and Elvedoria decided to get rid of the Haden heirloom and took upon themselves the oath of silence so as to safeguard the secret forever. To this day, however, what that secret was remains unknown to historians and researchers alike.'_

Hermione's hands fell to her side, as she sat there feeling numb and defeated. Her suspicions were confirmed, thus, making her the first witch ever to have cracked the secret: the prophecy had come true—Woldorin never had an heir. Woldorin never had a _blood_ _heir_ because, Irvette didn't die for Woldorin. She died because of shame. Because her baby never belonged to Daerian. Because her baby was a Slytherin— _Mávros Slytherin's_ child and blood heir…

So, if history's repeating itself, it must only mean one thing: Isabella _did_ make a sacrifice and that sacrifice was really her love for Lucius.

Hermione slumped back against her chair as if her world had just been plunged into hell! She was left sitting there completely and utterly speechless. _What in the world?_

And most unconsciously, her eyes wandered over to Draco's and stayed there for a long time. _Don't complicate your life, Hermione…_

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, HOGWARTS  
 _08:58 AM_

~o _**Harry's POV**_ o~

Harry saw it too—standing stalk still despite the bitter wind thrashing through the grounds, the person behind the hood watched the castle like a hawk. _Who… is that? And what are they doing here?_ he wondered as he inched closer in the direction of the bystander, face ridden with worry. And even as Harry stood there trying to work out who it was, he saw the hooded figure inch backwards and disappear behind the Whomping Willow.

Fear and panic shot through his spine as he ran towards the edge of the forest, but the person was nowhere to be seen. Was he imagining all of this, or is it really happening? "Professor…" his face was ridden with panic and uncertainty. "I think someone's watching us… I think we're being spied on…" he said, looking for signs of dismissal from the old wizard.

Dumbledore stopped dead in his tracks and looked up from where he stood next to a beautiful unicorn mare, collecting tiny drops of its blood in a phial. His expression visibly changed going from being mildly chirpy to absolute despair. "What did they look like, Harry, what did you see?" he demanded, his eyebrows scrunched together with worry.

"It looked like an old woman in a black cloak. She was standing right in the middle of the school grounds and watching the school… And—and she didn't look like _any_ student neither was it a teacher! She was definitely not someone who belonged here nor was supposed to be there, I know, I can tell, I've been an Auror for so long! Professor, I can't help but think that we're being spied on…"

"They're getting restless," he muttered more to himself. Harry tried to read his expression but all that he could discern was great confusion and bewilderment on the old wizard's face.

"Who professor? Who is that, what's all this supposed to mean?"

"It means we're running out of time, Harry. It means we don't have much time left for us to set this world right and _that_ means we'd better hurry up…" he simply stated, his face never once revealing even a shred of panic. "Do we have everything on the list?"

Harry looked down at the parchment he was holding and glanced down at the list:

3 phials – Unicorn Blood  
1 phials – Mermaid Tears  
1 drop – Foxglove Honey  
1 phial – Pearl Dust  
1 drop – Wizard Blood

"Except for the drop of blood, we have everything else, professor," he reported. "This should do it, you reckon?"

"All life-giving ingredients, Harry," Dumbledore smiled. "If this won't do it, I don't know what will…" he stated, looking particularly disconcerted. Harry's stomach couldn't help but do an uncomfortable twist as a sudden doubt crept up in his mind: Dumbledore _really_ isn't telling him something—something _very_ important… and it was extremely worrying. "Off to the Ministry, then. Come on, Harry," he said, stretching his hand out, beckoning Harry to follow him, "a long day awaits you."

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE QUIDDITCH PITCH, HOGWARTS  
 _09:40 AM_

~o _**Isabella's POV**_ o~

Auror Training.

Mostly only Gryffindors…

Need we say more?

Curses and hexes screeched past her, missing her head by mere _inches_! _This is not 'training' in ANY sense of the word, I assure you. This is a_ ploy _by the Ministry (_ and Sirius _) to get us to fight each other and somehow get us all MASS MURDERED, that's what this is about!_ she thought bitterly to herself as she tried frantically to keep her focus on her attackers rather than daydream her way out of today's training.

Sirius, Isabella, Remus, Lily, Edgar and Sturgis were flying on one side while were James, Peter, Alice, Claiborne, Dorcas, Benjy and Scarlett flew on the other side. The two groups were sending curses at each other and practising the art of dodging and manoeuvring. _Impulsive duelling my arse!_

"Izzy! You're not fast enough!" bellowed Sirius, as he ducked and whizzed past a curse that was sent from the ground by Alice.

Isabella saw three curses hurtling towards her from three different directions and tried manoeuvring past them but decided in the last minute to tilt her broom upwards and shot at full-speed towards the sky as the three curses collided and exploded behind her.

"Isabella Williams, that is CRAPPY flying! CRAPPY! I don't know HOW you won all those matches for us in our fifth year! YOU DON'T GET SO MUCH TIME TO THINK WHEN YOU'RE BEING ATTACKED, you know?!" he bawled as he swerved his broom towards her.

"Sirius! I'm TRYING! _CUT ME SOME SLACK_!" she roared back from above. _AND SHUT UP! PLEASE SHUT UUUP!_

But of course, Sirius won't quit, that little piece of… _crap_. She saw him hurtling towards her like he was ready to headbutt her right off of her broom. "Izzy, you need to be more tactful than that!" he yelled as he beautifully dodged James's curse and sent a hex racing towards Lily's broom without thinking. It seemed to come so effortlessly to him. "Keep your eyes open and REALLY listen! You HAVE to assess the source of the sound and move intuitively, Izzy!"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Sirius, I KNOW! Let me just get the hang of this first!"

Unfortunately, she hadn't noticed Claiborne aiming for the end of her broom. The hex hit the tail and her broom caught fire almost instantly. Panic struck as Isabella found herself hurtling at top speed towards the snow-covered ground. Hyperventilating almost instantly, she tried to manoeuvre her broom but it just won't budge! With the wind whistling in her ears and she realizing just how fast the ground was coming towards, her brain decided to take a vacation _just then_ and shut down entirely. And just when she thought she was going to die, she found herself screaming, "SIRIUS!"

A hand swung around her waist and jerked her upwards and for a second, Isabella's world was spinning out of control as the sky came into view. A split second later, she found herself falling face first once again and landing painfully on the lean wood of James's broom. A collective sigh was heard from above, indicating that, there indeed were a blessed few who really did care if she lived or died… _Morbid, I know, but moving on…_

"Thank you, James!" she yelled over the noise of the wind slamming her face as James swiveled his broom and zoomed back towards the ground. As soon as he helped her out though, his expression changed. "Don't worry about it," came James's cold voice. It was evident that he still hadn't forgive her for kissing Lucius-what's-his-face. "Are you hurt?" he added, more out of courtesy than anything else.

Isabella bit her bottom lip to mask the hurt that surged through her body. "No, I'm good, thank you," she replied. And just when she thought the moment could not get any worse, she saw two people running towards her—two people who were NEVER supposed to be mentioned in the same sentence as each other, if you may—Sirius and _Lucius_.

A **Mexican stand-off** , ladies and gentlemen.

Why, WHY, really?

Sirius had noticed his arch nemesis arriving at the scene too and slowed down to a menacing pace while Lucius didn't seem to give a flying f*** about entering the lion's den and waltzed in like he held a personal, _hand-written_ invitation for the grand tea-party.

James merely blinked between Lucius and Isabella, trying to analyse her facial expressions while Sirius was glaring daggers at the blond prat who had the best timing in whole entire world. While Isabella was really enjoying this little shindig, she sincerely hoped that the gods would be kind enough to NOT unleash the _Lord of 'SUAVE'_ *note sarcasm* on the little company, but she was wrong as per usual.

Sirius's glare got wilder, if it was even possible, and he mutely walked towards Isabella, his eyes never leaving Lucius's. Lucius, for his part, decided on sporting a cool, yet you're-just-piece-of-scum sort-of-look and watched Sirius casually toss his hand around a very troubled-looking Isabella.

"Is everything okay with you, babe?" Sirius asked, only, he was looking at _Lucius_ for some odd reason.

"Y-yes, I am, Sirius, all thanks to James, here," she said, forcing a smile on her lips.

"Sod this," came James's cold reply. "I'm out of here. Just don't tear his head off, mate," he patted Sirius on the back and eyed Lucius pitifully before bounding off.

"I'll try!" yelled Sirius and smirked coldly at Lucius's bored face.

"I'd like to have a word with Ms Williams, if you may."

"Hey, anything you'd like to say to her, you could say in front of me. You see, I'm her _best friend_ now. And I need to be there for her _at all times_."

Isabella let out the fakest laugh she could possibly muster. "Th-that is _totally_ not necessary, Sirius," she guffawed sweetly, trying to ease the blow.

"Oh, but of course, love," he fake-laughed too, "you're officially under _my_ watchful eye now," he said, eyeing her like he was talking to a three-year old. Isabella huffed. She had had enough. Dropping the act, she decided to get real. "Sirius, sweetheart, I am glad that you want to be all protective of me, but could you not do this just this once?" she asked, looking wide-eyed.

Sirius's eyes darkened. Isabella knew he was itching to bully Lucius a just bit more, but given that she had resorted to sport her puppy-dog eyes, he (thankfully) decided to give in. Sighing heavily he added, "Alright, fine, but you sure you'll be alright?" he asked, his face dripping with genuine concern.

Isabella chuckled a little. "I'll scream if he bites, I promise!" she replied playfully, making him nod in agreement. "Don't be long," he kissed her cheek and finally let her go. With one last look of pure disdain at Lucius, he was off.

As soon as Sirius was out of earshot, Lucius decided to grace Isabella with his most scornful look. "Charming," Lucius fumed sarcastically.

"Watch it, that's my best friend," Isabella warned. "Anyway, hi," she smiled. "It's been a while."

"Are you hurt?" his eyes traced her body, looking for signs of bruises.

"Not at all. Thanks for finally deciding to talk to me, by the way. You were driving me mad," she admitted truthfully.

"Bella, I wouldn't last two days without talking to you, I can't believe you don't know that yet," a hint of smile graced his lips. "Can we go somewhere private, I have something to tell you."

"I know just the place!"

~oO **_5 minutes later…_** Oo~

The lake breeze blew over their faces and washed away the silence that hung thickly in the air. Isabella was fidgeting nervously, hoping that whatever Lucius had to say wasn't going to be about that silly kiss they'd shared yesterday. However, given that Lucius's breaths were coming out in rags, she knew she had to brace herself for the worst.

He nervously took Isabella's hand and turned her around to face him. "Bella, I… I know I've said this before but I need to state it again… I love you…" he said looking straight into her eyes, not even trying to beat around the bush. Isabella's stomach squirmed, the weight of his words crashing into her in waves.

"And, I'm sorry if I sound crude or if I come off as slightly old-fashioned, but I need you to know that, you're the _only_ person who's managed to turn my world upside down," he said, taking her in his arms. Isabella's body was now quivering slightly as his eyes bore into hers, making her melt entirely. "Nothing's ever a comparison to you, Bella and I'm positively _dying_. Knowing that I can't have you makes me want to literally drop dead…" he whispered. "Tell me, Bella… Do you see me in your future at all?"

Isabella's skin flushed against the heat of his body, her face burning red from the blush that crept up from her neck. And all hell broke loose when a war broke out in her head as her brain constantly sent her contrasting images of Sirius and Lucius one after the other… She was lost—she completely and hopelessly lost for words!

She sighed. "Lucius, may I be honest with you?"

"Don't be anything else!" he sighed, looking relieved.

"Lucius, I am flattered, honestly. I honestly didn't know you felt so strongly about me for starters," she said, frowning sadly at his face. "And truthfully, I like you Lucius. I like you a _lot_ …" she said, chewing her bottom lip in nervousness. "But hear me out when I say this, Lue. I am still not sure where my head is at and I… I need a bit more time… I need time to know what I want for myself. I love you, I really do, but not enough to know anything more than that…" she whispered contritely.

Lucius closed his eyes in as anxiety took over. "I don't have time in my hands, Bella," he eyed her worriedly. " _We_ don't have time, everything's happening so fast that we need to get moving NOW, or all will be lost!"

"What do you mean, what's the hurry…?"

"Bella, it's the Blacks," he sighed impatiently. "They had come calling a week ago and they've expressed their desire to get their youngest daughter engaged to me by the end of this year and father has already consented! And according to The Code, I will _not_ be able to walk out of the contract once the engagement ceremony has been conducted. I could risk my _entire_ family getting written out of the Sacred Twenty Eight if that were to ever happen! A LOT is at stake here, Bella, and I _need_ to know…" he said, almost begging for an answer. "I'd throw it all away if there's even a remote chance that you and I might have a future…"

Time stopped as those words slithered out of his mouth.

Isabella froze in place as shock waves pounded her brain into numbness. It looked like her world was coming crashing in on her as she continued to stare into those amber eyes. What could she _possibly_ do or say to something like _that_?

"Why, isn't that wonderful," she simply stated, although her heart was exploding with grief. What was she going to _do_? What _should_ she ideally say to something like that? She blinked back tears. And the words were out before she could even stop herself. "Narcissa is a lovely girl…"

"She's no you," was his response. He didn't even bat an eyelid as he said it. He didn't even need to take a second to think about how he felt for her. And even as she stood there melting under his gaze, he pulled her closer to him. "She's no you, Bella… She'll never be _you_ … No one, not even the _heiress of Black_ could mean a thing to me when I have you," he breathed. "I need to know, Bella. _I need you_... _Please_ tell me what I should do..."

~o _**Hermione's** **POV**_ o~

"I can't believe it's actually happening," she looked worriedly at Draco's panic-ridden face.


	44. Origins Of The Heir

**A/N: Requesting everyone to ignore errors in this chapter...**

 **Also, to make a couple of things clearer that was raised by some of the readers, Izzy's sacrifice really was her love for Lucius than anything else because, she had made arrangements for her child to be with the muggle family and had also made sure Sirius will be safe from harm.**

 **Also, a SHOUTOUT once more to the lovely _Celeste38_** _._ **=) A million thanks for your feedback!**

 **Chapter 44: Origins of The Heir**

* * *

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE MOOR'S BAY, MOULD-ON-THE-WOLD  
 _10:30 AM_

Dark clouds loomed ominously making it seem like very late in the evening already.

It was nearly eleven degrees outside and Harry was almost freezing to death now as he tried to keep pace with Dumbledore's long strides. It was Christmas morning and, although the streets and shops were fairly decorated with lights and large pine trees, something didn't feel quite right. Hushed voices, frazzled expressions and a near lack of eye-contact between passersby on the streets were sure signs of the grim anticipation that was gripping the city of London: large posters of a vicious Dark Wizard wreaking havoc announced to the world that He was coming…

Dumbledore took a left turn and entered an almost deserted alleyway and strode on with a sense of purpose. Harry merely followed him like a lost puppy, the flasks and phials jingling in his backpack.

Harry for his part, should, in all rationality, be feeling mighty confident about defeating Voldemort in this realm given that he's accomplished it once already… But something about Voldemort's soul being whole and intact daunted him beyond belief, making him wary and feeling a _lot_ _less_ homicidal.

And, no longer than a _second_ after he'd even thought of meeting the Dark Lord, something _terrifying_ happened: something that had managed to keep him up night after night for _seventeen years_ ; something that had been a part of him since he was one-year-old; something he had feared even more than the Dark Wizard himself: his scar.

For the very first time in nearly two decades, his scar burned again. And, even as he noiselessly followed a rather grim-looking Dumbledore to god-knows-where, his insides were going ballistic and his mind started buzzing with questions, dizzying him in the process.

 _Why's it hurting? It doesn't make any sense… Why must it burn now?_ he thought to himself, gingerly rubbing his forehead. _That wretched piece of soul lodged in me had already been destroyed once, how is it_ alive _again?! No, seriously, HOW many times does a man need to die to get rid of his sodding scar?_

A noise from the back distracted him from his trail of thought. Instinctively, both men tightened their grips on their wands, but Dumbledore continued to march forwards as if he hadn't heard a thing. But Harry knew that this was definitely not a covert mission anymore.

"Professor…"

"Caution, Harry," Dumbledore warned without even glancing back him, his eyes burning. "You are more than aware that we have more enemies in this realm than there ever was," he said, taking another turn into an even darker alley. "Even the Ministry can't be trusted, you know that, so we may get attacked from _any_ corner…" he muttered and stopped short in his tracks. They were standing in front of a dingy house in the darkest corner of the alley. There was a dim light emanating from the window on the far right. "This might take a while, Harry, so I want you to be on the lookout and make sure _no one_ ever gets in until the process is complete," his steely voice pierced into the night like ice.

Harry nodded grimly, his Auror senses on high-alert mode. "Where are we Professor?" His scar prickled uncomfortably once more as he spoke those words.

Dumbledore swung around and his eyes met Harry's. "At Nicholas Flamel's…" he announced, voice sounded calm but his body seemed clenched with worry. Harry's eyes widened in shock and wondered what they were doing _here_ of all the places in the world. "There's no one else _alive_ who could help us with our task…" he trailed away, his face breaking into a slight smile as he gave Harry a knowing look. "Hand me the ingredients, Harry."

"Oh, yes, of course," he said and rummaged into his backpack and brought out the various phials and flasks. "Professor, I need to tell you something…"

"It needs to wait," came Dumbledore's curt reply. Harry noticed Dumbledore's eyes burning with a sudden sense of urgency. "We are running out of time, and I have a feeling, we may already be a little too late going by the speed at which everything is unfolding. Also, this is going to take a while," he said, indicating the door behind him. "I want you to stand guard and not let _anything_ interrupt me for the next hour… Can I count on you, Harry…?"

"Of course, professor…" he responded, at the blink of an eye.

"Remember… You can't be seen. Since you have travelled back in time, you are not _meant_ to be here. Being spotted in the time loop only goes to complicate things even more for us. And as you are already aware, we were being followed a while ago, so do what you have to do, Harry. I shall try and not be too long…"

Something in Dumbledore's tone seemed to have shifted: he was no longer regarding Harry as a troubled little boy who needed watching over. He was referring to Harry as an old friend—a friend whom he could blindly rely on when things got grim. And, even as he acknowledged it, a feeling of pride swelled in Harry's chest and he immediately felt this _humungous_ pressure to not fail this old wizard.

Harry drew up to his full height. "You won't have to worry about anything, professor. Everything will be under control," Harry spoke in his authoritative 'Auror' voice. Dumbledore merely nodded and was about turn and knock on the door when suddenly they saw something large and silver hurtling towards them from above the rooftops. Harry's heart skipped a beat when he realized it was a gleaming otter.

" _S.O.S… S.O.S…_ " the Patronus announced in Hermione's smooth voice. " _The Seer's prophecy has come true… Gryffindor never had a blood heir… The war will be lost… The war…Will. Be. Lost…_ "

They froze. A chill ran down Harry's spine as the words seeped through his brain. Dumbledore visibly shivered at the message and for a second went into state of utter distress. "My biggest fear…" he breathed, and stared on into empty space looking mighty helpless.

Panic struck like lightening. "Professor, what's happened? What does she mean by the war will be lost? Did something go wrong?"

"Beyond wrong, Harry…" came his raspy reply. Bedlam broke loose in Harry's head as he mutely gaped at the horrified face of Dumbledore. "It looks like nothing was ever right for it to go wrong now… If not for Hermione, we could've gone down a _terrible_ path and caused irreversible damage to the fate of the Wizarding world…" he stated, as everything finally fell into place.

"Professor I am not quite following you…"

"Harry during the Sacred Age, when Irvette gave birth to a young Prince, they were several who questioned the child's lineage… However, when she gave up her life, the kingdom was in a desperate need of a King who could govern their land and hence, the matter was swept under the carpet. To this day, this one little missing detail had bothered several philosophers and historians alike. But today the truth has been unlocked and the world owes it to Hermione…

"As it seems, although Woldorin as a kingdom did manage to find a successor, in reality, the House of Gryffindor had long vanished with the death of Daerian. So in reality, the descendants with the 'Gryffindor' title have inherently belonged to _Slytherin's_ race and that could only mean one thing: Mávros's curse has extravasated to _his own blood heir_ …"

"It has _what_?" let out Harry, his head spinning with this sudden burst of revelation. "Izzy really is a _Slytherin_ by birth?!" he bellowed, feeling as if someone had slapped him hard across his face. "So she _IS_ going to end up being a Death Eater…?" he roared even more loudly now as the prospect seemed almost impossible digest. "Blimey, what does all this even mean then, professor? And why is it certain that we would lose the war?"

"It is certain that we would lose the war because, knowing how wonderful Isabella really is, she would never choose the Dark side over Light owing to her 'Gryffindor' ancestry. She may be a Slytherin by blood, but she has been raised as a Gryffindor and her inherent sense of nobility will never allow her to lean towards the Dark side. If there's any hope for us at all it's only if…" he paused looking more worried than ever. He didn't say anything for a long time as if fearing it might come true if he ever did. "If… she does _exactly_ that… We _need_ her to choose Dark over Light just like in the legends because only then can we lift Mávros's curse…"

"How are we going to achieve that again?" Harry asked weakly as all sense of hope vanished from his heart.

"It's partly why we are here, Harry…" he said and drew the tiny velvet pouch containing the shards of the Resurrection Stone. "We are going to try and salvage this War… Be on the lookout and summon your friends to your aid."

A wave of determination washed over Harry as he solemnly nodded at his Headmaster. He swiftly waved his wand and produced a Patronus which burned white in the dark alley. "Auror Code Blue. Code Blue… Business is about to pick up…" he spoke in his most commanding voice and the Stag disappeared immediately. Dumbledore's eyes glinted at Harry's good-humoured, albeit solemn message to his friend.

As Dumbledore knocked on the door, Harry took his position, his expression savage. And just as he pulled out his Invisibility Cloak, out of nowhere, a white streak of a spell hurtled towards them at top speed and crashed into the wall, missing Dumbledore by mere inches. Harry hurriedly yanked the door opened, shoved the old wizard and turned around just in time to block a second Stunning Spell charging at him.

And then all hell broke loose.

Everything happened in less than a second's gap: from Harry's current position, he saw at least four wands lighting up in the dark to thrash him with hexes and he knew he'd be able to tackle only two ( _at max_ three) of those hexes in one sweep. Before he could zero in on an attack move, however, his instincts took over and he all of _leaped_ to floor and rolled over just in time as four or five hexes exploded behind him, missing him by a _whisper_! The attackers were clearly bent on breaking into the house and getting to Dumbledore. The attackers hammered the house with more curses and hexes and the walls and the light bulbs hanging in the alley exploded and crashed and blasted and shattered and Harry was swiftly running out of time.

"Get inside!" a young male voice rang through the air as he lashed another deadly blasting curse at the door but Harry blocked it, neat as a pin. He smirked in satisfaction as his attackers gaped dumbfounded, not knowing where the block had come from. In a second, they all started hammering at the house once again, but Harry blocked and blocked and blocked till his wand shuddered under the speed.

The thunderstruck bunch of attackers looked both boggled and angry at the same time, making them throw their rage into their curses. Harry's hand was now moving as swift as an arrow as the rhythm of the four-to-one duel skyrocketed, making it more mind-numbing than ever before!

 _'Protego! Protego! Impedimenta! PROTEGO! Langlock! Protegooo!'_ was all that was running in his mind as he advanced on them, making them back away from the door and into the alley. However, it was getting more and more difficult to keep up with the speed as the attackers started to gain in on Harry, making it crucial for him to go on the offence right away.

 _'EXPELLIARMUS!'_ he thought and the wand from the boy nearest to him flew high in the air and landed behind Harry, making it impossible for him to retrieve it.

"WHO IS DOING THIS?! _What kind of sorcery IS THIS_?!" yelled a second, older voice.

"I DON'T SEE ANYBODY!" yelled another in response.

"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU P****!" yelled the third voice, "SHOW US WHO YOU ARE!" he boomed and seemed like the most powerful of the four.

But when no one answered, the attackers had had enough and started hammering him with curses again and Harry responded with the ease of an expert. However, as the duel intensified, he slowly started losing momentum as the speed of the duel got out of control. _Offence, Harry, OFFENCE!_ He yelled at himself, but never found the window.

"Let me deal with this son of a b****!" yelled the third guy and visibly moved forwards, his spells hitting Harry like a truck!

"CONFRINGO!" Harr finally yelled, but immediately knew he had made a grave error. He had allowed himself to be heard…

"Hello, there… Let's dance, Ghosty-boy!" the man sneered, while the others continued to hammer Harry with curses.

Harry was slowly gaining on the other two men, but the third man was blasting him with the power of four _GODS_ , so much so that Harry felt himself nearly give up.

Blast! BLAST! BLAAAST!

The rain of spells didn't quite stop. He was slipping… _Push on, Harry! Power through!_ But he felt his hand slow down on its own accord. It was almost numb and at the point of breaking off from his body.

" _RELASHIOOO!_ " the man yelled and a light-blue curse, as powerful as a high-speed _train_ , shot out of his wand. Harry was no match for him.

Time nearly stopped as Harry watched the curse advance from the tip of his attacker's wand. Everything was moving in slow motion, and little pieces of debris scraped past his face and hand. He was willing his mind to think of a blocking curse but none came to him. His brain completely shut down and he felt himself finally give up.

This was it, it was all over… It was all over… He closed his eyes as his body slowly arched back and hurtled towards the ground.

 _SCREECH!_

A white streak of light shot out from the top and collided with the curse, making it explode five inches away from Harry's face. Harry weakly looked up to see three shadows lurking on the rooftop of the house, wands stretched out.

The stunned attackers stopped throwing curses for a split second to see what had happened: BIG MISTAKE.

The three shadow ninjas mercilessly attacked the men, hammering and thrashing them with the meanest and the BADDEST curses that even Harry was impressed. Dazedly, he watched the six of them duel until the three on top drove the three on the bottom right outside of the alleyway and into the darkness. It was at that point that Harry wondered what had happened to the fourth man.

Silence at last. Harry didn't bother getting up as he acknowledged the throbbing in his right hand.

"You alright there?" Ron called out from above before jumping down beside him. "Mate, honestly, where _are_ you?" he asked, looking for an invisible Harry.

"Right… here…" he croaked out, making Ron chuckle at him. He bent down and heaved the cloak off of him as Draco and Hermione joined them on the ground too (Hermione levitated herself to land as light as a feather).

"Nice choice of curses," quipped Harry as he took Draco's outstretched and pulled himself. "I'm impressed," he smiled at the three.

"Why, thank you, Potter," Draco cleared his throat. "I don't suppose you thought these two were capable of such flair, did you?" he cocked an eyebrow, his face beaming with arrogance.

"Wow, that was him?" Harry quizzed Ron which invited an almost nauseated rolling of the eyes from his brother-in-law. Harry chuckled, a slow tease forming on his lips. "Must say," panted Harry, "it quite pays to be friends with a Slytherin."

"We're not friends, Pott…"

 ** _BLAST!_**

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were thrown off their feet and slammed against the wall opposite to them. Another ear-splitting explosion followed that blast, lighting up the whole place. Pieces of bricks and glass peppered their faces and bodies and Harry winced in pain. He coughed up blood.

Shakily, he looked up to see Nicholas Flamel's house was ablaze with flames engulfing every little inch of his furniture and window and walls, but there was still movement in the window. Dumbledore was standing there, his hands outstretched and his body quivering against the yellow glow of light that was piercing at his chest. For a fleeting second, he saw the wizened face of Nicholas Flamel, before it disappeared back behind the wall.

 _What is going on?_ He thought to himself as he struggled to get back on his feet.

And then he saw it.

Tiny little dust particles rose up in the air and started to swirl into a conical shape. More particles that were slightly bigger now rose up to join to the swirling until they all came together to bind tightly. The spinning of the particles continued as the ball became denser and denser until a jet of light shot out through the walls and windows, blinding him in the process. The spinning of the ball had stopped now and all that Harry could see was a brand new and reforged red glint of the Resurrection Stone.

What no one realized, however, was that something is almost always lurking in the shadows. The onlooker slid further into the shadows, having seen everything…

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
10:49 AM

~o **_Sirius's POV_** o~

The Great Hall was buzzing with the sounds of disgruntled students, all of whom were covered in filth. Some were even nursing cuts and bruises they had sustained from hexes and jinxes that their 'enemies' had assaulted them with. And despite the morbid setting, the first thing that caught his eye which made him lazily raise his eyebrow was Claiborne chatting away with Peter while at the same time giving first-aid to a rather pleased-looking Remus.

Sirius nudged James next to him and cocked his head in their direction, making him turn and look at the two love birds too. James merely rolled his eyes and shook his head at him and said, "On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being ' _you shrug it off_ ' and 10 being ' _somebody's going to die,_ ' how well do you expect me to react to someone like Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes getting it on with our Moon boy?"

Sirius grinned. "I'm guessing _12_ , but I could be underestimating you…" he guffawed, making James roll his eyes even more and laugh till his eyes watered. "I'm going to start a ' _Single-Men's Club_ ' right away and you're my first recruit!" he announced, whist flinging his hand around Sirius's neck.

Sirius knew that that was a subtle jab at his current state-of-affairs with Izzy. His face fell immediately. He wasn't sure what to think of her anymore… Sure, they will always be friends, but that didn't make it any less complicated. And even as he sat there weighing in his emotions, James got up to sit next to Lily and annoy the bejeezus out of her. And for the first time ever, he felt lonely.

"You alright there, Pads?" called out Remus from across the table, who seemed to be the only person who had noticed the forlorn expression on Sirius's face.

Sirius immediately turned on his flair and shrugged nonchalantly, trying as hard as possible to mask the hollowness he was feeling currently. Lily, who was watching him from James's other side, merely smiled. "Poor baby is missing his pal…" she announced cheekily, making him flush red around the ears.

How these two read his mind so accurately, Sirius will never know. He merely blew out a breath and didn't say anything because he knew that in less than three seconds, the table was going to explode with questions and opinions on his current 'relationship status.'

"Speaking of… Where _is_ Izzy?" Lily pressed on from under James's embrace.

 _Aaaand_ that's the fastest three seconds you will ever see.

"Either snogging Malfoy's brains out or being hacked to _death_ by that tosser, take your pick. That was rhetorical poll, Podmore!" he added with a scowl as Sturgis raised a hopeful hand. The group roared with laughter as Sturgis sniggered mischievously.

"This is a disaster," gasped Claiborne. "I'm sorry, but… _what_ is happening with you two again? The excruciating details of your life seem a little muddled to me…" she teased. Sirius had to muster up every ounce of will left to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her. When he looked around at his friends with an incredulous look on his face, however, he realized they were of NO help too because every single person on the table was found gaping eagerly at him. Lily and Remus had even leaned in closer to the table, eager for gossip.

He sighed in resignation. "Well, I… I don't even know…" he admitted truthfully. "I mean, one second everything was going great and the next, she's… she's…" he stopped mid-sentence. He couldn't get himself to finish the sentence. At that precise second, however, he noticed Remus and Peter exchange looks and shifting uncomfortably in their seats like they knew something the others didn't. Sirius's eyebrows shot up.

He looked straight into Remus's eyes. "What, Moony?" he asked, making them squirm even more uncomfortably. "D'you know something that I don't?"

And for the first time _ever_ , the wise Remus found himself at a loss for words. He seemed very disturbed and seemed to not know what to say. Sirius watched Remus eyeing Peter nervously, making even the others a tad bit suspicious. After almost an earth-shattering silence he finally simply said, "Talk to her, mate. There's a lot that you need to know…"

Sirius paled. "NOW what?" _Why was he always the LAST to know everything?_

"Yeah, find Izzy, Pads," said Peter.

Sirius sighed, his mouth still agape with shock. "She's with _Malfoy..._!" she huffed angrily.

"No, she's not…" came a voice from behind. Sirius turned around to see Isabella approach the table and stand next to him, her face flushed red. He instinctively wrapped his hand around her waist and looked up. "I take it that it went badly?"

A flicker of hope crossed his heart as she nodded at him. Seeing the resigned look that she held in her large grey eyes and the ' _I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-life-anymore_ ' expression that she wore on her face was enough to take a bloke by surprise. It certainly did not make him want hold her closer or kiss away those tears just to see that smile again.

Nope. Not even a little bit.

"Tell me everything," he simply said whilst standing up and leading her to the door.


	45. Stranger In The Mirror

**A/N: Okay, I'd originally had a different plan for this chapter, but I don't know how it ended up this way. I just hope everyone likes it all the same:)**

 **P.S. This one's dedicated to one of my most lovely readers, _Sneha Ayyar_! :* Sorry for the delay, babe, but I had to make it PERFECT :P**

 **Also, a SHOUTOUT yet again to one of the nicest human beings I've ever met: _Celest38_ 3 I really want to meet you in person someday! =) Hope you like this one...**

* * *

 **Chapter 45: Stranger In The Mirror**

* * *

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE MOOR'S BAY, MOULD-ON-THE-WOLD  
 _11:30 AM_

"PROFESSOOOR!" Ron spluttered and scurried towards the burning house before any of the others could even comprehend what was happening. Harry jumped up to his feet too and ran after Draco who was already making a mad dash towards the house. And, almost as if their minds were in perfect sync, the three boys identically heaved themselves over the front door, trying to break it open.

The door won't budge.

Harry's mind started to race with panic as he acknowledged the growing fire inside the house. The other two seemed to have noticed too. For a space of a heartbeat, the three of them exchanged nervous glances before hauling themselves once again at the door repeatedly like mad men.

Bang! BANG! _BANG!_

One more bang and Harry was sure his limb would fall off… However, Ron's burly physique seemed to have been good enough to finally send the door crashing to the floor.

"PROFESOR ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Harry bellowed, getting in before any of the others. The house was completely engulfed now and the sound of the flames raging away was almost _terrible_. However, neither Flamel nor his wife (who was frantically concocting a potion of some sort on the far end of the hall) seemed to be in any hurry to start panicking just yet. Dumbledore, Harry noticed, was lying powerlessly on the floor.

" _Perenelle, the POTION!_ " Flamel yelled at his wife from beside Dumbledore's still body.

The old woman came dashing into the living room with a draught of some sort in her hands. The flames were everywhere now and the fumes had so thickly blanketed the room that Harry could hardly see anything.

"Albus! Albus, _look at me_!" Flamel yelled over and above the sound of the flames licking and slapping away at the house. "You need to drink this up, NOW! You've lost a lot of life, Albus, you _need_ this to sustain for a while longer!" he cried and knelt beside the fallen wizard. Harry swung his head around in their direction as he heard those words, feeling confused as hell. Ron, Hermione and Draco, in the meanwhile, had wisely decided to douse the fire using their wands.

Huh… Clever… Why didn't _he_ think of that?

Flamel continued to fuss over an almost dead Dumbledore. "Come on, Albus, the world _needs_ you! Get up! Look at me, LOOK AT ME!" Flamel continued to yell at an unconscious Dumbledore. Harry's heart leaped into his mouth when he realized Dumbledore continued to lay motionless on the floor. Without thinking, he sprang forwards and landed next to him, trying to understand what had happened to him.

"Professor! Professor, are you alright? Professor!" he cried, and shook him frantically in a vain attempt at reviving him. But when nothing happened, he all of _lost_ it entirely. "Mr Flamel, do something, PLEASE!" he cried, even as the six hundred and fifty-eight year old man started slapping Dumbledore's face to awaken him.

"Well, don't just SIT there!" he yelled at a panic-ridden Harry. "Hold his chin up!" he ordered as he clumsily drizzled the draught into Dumbledore's partly parted mouth. "Look for signs of the potion spilling out of his mouth, Mr Potter!" he instructed, sounding almost nervous. "We may need to rush him to St Mungo's if that happens…"

Harry didn't know what was happening, but he was positive that this moment, _right here_ , could either make it or break it and rewrite History forever! His heart was almost hammering against his ribs now as he watched the old man murmur an incantation under his breath and empty the contents into Dumbledore's lifeless mouth. When nothing happened, Harry almost suffered from a near-fatal cardiac arrest as his brain got ready to accept the undeniable truth when, suddenly, a strained cough escaped Dumbledore's mouth.

The feeling that washed over his body was almost inexplicable as he watched his Headmaster finally come back alive again…

"Oh, thank goodness…" Draco let out and almost collapsed to the floor. The rest of them, Harry noticed, also seemed to have held their breaths in nervous anticipation. A collective sigh of relief was heard as Harry finally started to calm down. He could never get used to the idea of Dumbledore being weak and powerless…

"Albus, are you alright?" Flamel asked, looking particularly ridden with undeniable guilt. "I _told_ you it was dangerous, it's almost _Necromancy…_ in REVERSE!" he scolded, even as Dumbledore continued to cough his lungs out.

"My friend…" spluttered Dumbledore, "you… always seem to have the knack to… keep me… _in splits_!" he coughed even as his lifeless eyes twinkled playfully. "How much time do I have left then, Nicholas?" he enquired, his voice coming out in rags.

Harry swung around to look at the boys, their expressions conveyed total puzzlement—except Hermione, of course. She, for her part, looked like she'd accidentally swallowed a giant _Blast-Ended Skrewt_ by mistake. "Professor, what have you done?!" she cried and hurried towards the frail-looking Headmaster. " _Please_ tell me you did _not_ just…"

"It _had_ … to be done, Hermione… My life isn't that important, you see…" he coughed out yet again, smiling a little this time. "Harry's the one that we truly need alive more than anyone else at the moment…"

"But… Professor, surely there must have been another way…!" she looked beyond distressed at the thought of Dumbledore's apparently 'stupid' move.

"Er… Care to explain what's going on here?" drawled Draco, trying really hard to sound as offhanded as possible.

"Oh my god, don't you see?" came the scathing voice of Hermione. "Dumbledore's traded his life to mend the _Resurrection Stone_! It's _very_ advanced magic that leaves irreversible consequences upon completion!" she squealed, clutching her face is sheer panic. "Mr Flamel, how much time _does_ he have?!" she asked the old man, without even waiting for a reaction from the others.

"He's lost almost _twenty years_ of his life!" he announced most irritatedly. "Mending an object as powerful and tricky as the Resurrection Stone isn't simple. It was crafted by Death himself, the legends say, and to fix it, it would require ineffable amounts of 'life-giving' ingredients. Unicorn blood and mermaid tears are known to make one immortal. Pearl dust, when mixed with foxglove honey, is known to resuscitate _anyone_ on the brink of dying. And finally Wizard blood…" he said, nodding feebly at the horror-struck faces of the onlookers. "In short, he doesn't have any time _at all_ …"

"…which means we're wasting time talking about _me_ …" Dumbledore cut in, continuing to smile serenely at the fearful faces of his ex-students. "Harry…" he said, gesturing for him to get closer so that he wouldn't have to strain himself. Harry moved in closer, his eyes the size of tennis balls now. "You have some unfinished business in the Ministry of Magic, Harry…" he smiled almost remorsefully. It's time for you to meet an _old_ friend…" he said, opening his palm to reveal the ruddy Resurrection Stone.

Harry didn't respond and merely looked towards Hermione for help. She, however, simply stared back, her expression unreadable: it looked like she was scared, sad and feeling apologetic all the same time… She knew. She always _knew_.

Shaking from head to toe, she spoke directly to Dumbledore. "What's he to tell him, Professor…?" she simply asked. "What's he supposed to do?"

"He is merely to put things back in order, my dear…" he said, giving her a knowing look. "This little— _rendezvous_ , if I may—might just be the last piece of the puzzle that needs to find its rightful place in the history. Almost like _course-correcting_ the History of Magic, if you may?" he smiled wisely.

"But… But… Professor, that's… it's not _feasible…_ " she said, almost tearing up now. "It'll change a LOT of things! It… I… I… Nothing will be the same EVER AGAIN!" she cried out and, for the first time ever, Harry thought he saw undeniable fear gripping her eyes.

 _What really is GOING ON…?_

"Hermione, what's…" Ron started.

"Oh, Ron…" she sobbed, tears streaming down her pale face in little rivulets. Something about the way she was looking at Ron scared Harry beyond expression. Something told him to be prepared for very, very grave news real soon. "Promise me to stay by my side at all times from this moment on?" she hiccoughed, while taking his hand in hers.

"Of course, love…" came his instant response. However, going by his expression, Harry was sure the two of them shared the exact same feeling at the moment. Ron's eyebrows were scrunched together in confusion as he wiped tenderly Hermione's face, looking sick with worry. "And oi…" he said, taking her in his arms. "Nothing's going to happen to us, baby," he asserted, his eyes brimming with brute confidence. "As long as I'm by your side, you won't have to worry about a _thing_ , I promise!" he spat out fiercely.

"No Ron, we're mostly doomed…" she sobbed and hugged him tight as if her life depended on it. Ron and Draco's faces paled immediately.

"Hermione, what are you _talking_ about?" demanded an angry Draco. "What is going on here?!" he asked, this time glaring straight into Dumbledore's eyes. He almost looked like he'd clobber the old wizard's head out until it split open!

But when Dumbledore spoke, he was still addressing Hermione. "I wish there was another way…" Dumbledore sighed as his turned dead once more. "I wish things were slightly different… None of this need have happened but it's the only way, my dear, _you_ understand, don't you?" he pleaded, his face ridden with inexplicable guilt. "Like I said before, Hermione… A good change inevitably comes on the back of…"

"…terrible sacrifices," Harry finished for him, as the words rang through his head. His mind was blank and yet, he was in no hurry to try and decode the mystery behind all this just yet. "What needs to be done, Professor?" he asked quietly, fearing the worst. Hermione continued to sob on Ron's shoulder and Harry still didn't know why. "What am I supposed to do? Who am I supposed to meet?" he finally asked, almost bracing himself for the blow.

Dumbledore simply smiled.

"Sirius Black…" he said, his eyes brimming with tears—of joy or sorrow, Harry couldn't tell.

" _S—Siri—Sirius…_?" he spluttered out as he lost all sensation in life legs. One more second and Harry was sure his legs would give away entirely as his brain tried to comprehend what he had just heard. Was he hearing right? Did Dumbledore just ask him to meet with _Sirius_ …? And why would he be in the Ministry of… Oh…

"The Department of Mysteries…" he muttered, as his face went completely blank. He was not ready for this. He could not face him. He's most DEFINITELY not ready to meet with his godfather just yet… to deal with his guilt…

"We're running out of time, Harry…" Dumbledore said.

"What am I to tell him, Professor?"

"That…" he began, clearly unsure how to deliver the blow. "…the probability of History repeating itself is far too bleak as long he's around in this realm. That… one can never truly know whose side Isabella would eventually take as long as he's around her… She's Mávros's heir by blood and Tom's _cousin_ , Harry. We can lift his curse only if she marries _Lucius_.

"Sirius needs to die… Harry… You need to tell him that he needs to give himself up."

~oOo—oOo~

The figure stood so stalk-still that, a person walking down the road wouldn't have even noticed them standing there and watching the burning house through bloodshot eyes. The fire blazing through the house seemed to dance in those _terrible_ black slits that they had as 'eyes,' as Regulus noticed a wave of wrath mixed with mild curiosity shoot through his body like venom. The other three men standing behind the hooded figure almost quivered with fear, but Regulus merely bore blatant admiration for the man in front of him. The Lord never scared him…

"They don't belong to our Time… They don't… belong here…" he hissed curiously, sending a shiver down the men's spines. " _Him_ … especially…" the words slithered out. Regulus looked in the direction of those blood-red slits and his eyes fell on a bespectacled man who was leaning over a dying Dumbledore. "He's no ordinary wizard—he's a warrior… But a foolish one, nonetheless…" the voice continued drawl, carrying a hint of awe. "I may have finally met my match… An opponent worthy of my wand…" he said, running a long finger along the smooth wood. A tense moment passed and Regulus felt his heartbeat quicken as he realized the Dark Lord had finally marked one as his equal.

"I want them all dead," he declared, the words coming out in a mere whisper. "All, except him… He is mine to finish."

"Yes, my Lord! As you wish it…" said Regulus, never once faltering or cringing under His gaze. Greyback and Wilkes, however, seemed to not even have the courage to give their word to the Lord.

"You shall not fail me, my most faithful servant…" His expression hardened and eyes spoke pure murder.

"My Lord, w-what of... of th-the... the _girl_ , m'Lord? Ms Williams?" asked a very brave Greyback.

The Dark Lord struck a savage smile. "I have looked upon the faces of the alleged 'Cursed Pair,' and it looks like, for _once_... the rumours are indeed true. The future Lord of the House of Black and that _dishonourable_ mudblood girl indeed are the Chosen Pair of Doom, hand-picked by my ancestor and the first ever Dark Lord," he whispered, as the fire continued to dance in his eyes. "But these 'outsiders' here," he said referring to the three men and a woman next to Dumbledore, "have _meddled_ with the natural course of History and have potentially ruined everything!" he boomed, spelling death in every syllable. "The Cursed Pair should have breathed their last... _tonight_ …" the words spewed out like venom.

Regulus's head jerked up. A shock wave rammed into him like a wall as he realized what the Lord was asking of him. His mind instantly raced back to Sirius's face making him almost _die_ a little at the thought of killing his own big brother.

"I do _not_ want anything standing in my way to my rise to power..." the Lord continued, his face now quivering with rage. "Not even a stray heir of Slytherin!" he hissed, his words piercing through the air like ice.

~oOo—oOo~

"That's the most _ridiculous_ thing I've ever HEARD!" bellowed Harry as the four of them stepped out of the house. "And if he thinks I am going to take him up on his offer, he's sodding MAD!"

"Harry, you think he _likes_ what he's asking of you?! You must realize that it's TWICE as hard for him to make these moves as it is for us to _carry them out_!" shrieked Hermione and strode after Harry with a fierce expression plastered across her face. "The bigger picture here is to check-mate Voldemort and make way for a HAPPY _FUTURE_!"

"It's not a ' _happy future_ ' if Sirius isn't going to be IN IT!" he bellowed as he swung around to face her, his face flushed red with anger.

"We didn't come here to fix Sirius's life, Harry, we came here to MERELY. REWRITE. _HISTORY_!"

"But _I_ came here so that I could give Sirius what he could NEVER HAVE HAD in OUR. BLOODY. PAST!" his voice echoed through the empty alleyway.

Ron and Draco nervously watched the two of them having the fiercest stare-downs in history and mutely decided it was best to let them sort it out by themselves.

"What happened to Sirius was not your fault, Harry… It's high time for you to let go of that guilt. Besides, you think it's hard only for _you_?!" she asked, this time getting both Ron and Draco's attentions. "Have you _still_ not realized the repercussions our 'meddling with time' could bring for us?! Do ANY of even THINK _at all?_ Harry, if..." she faltered, now shaking uncontrollably from head to toe. "Harry do you realize that, _if_ History were to repeat itself, Isabella would end up marrying _Lucius_ and that means... that means we... could lose Draco... FOREVER? Did you _not_ think of that?" her face flared red more than ever, as she glared daggers at Harry.

Draco looked like he'd been slapped hard across his face while Harry's jaw dropped open. He didn't know what hit him as the brutal truth of it all finally dawned on him. _How did he NOT think of this?!_ And a second later, he was assaulted with questions that he was sure carried NO answers whatsoever: _Is this all worth it? Does it have to be this way? Could he allow something to happen to Draco for the sake of some lousy 'Greater Good'?!_ Harry's shoulders slumped as his eyes trailed towards a shocked Draco. The numbness that crept up his face was something he had NEVER experienced before.

 _So_ that's _why Dumbledore had brought Draco into this wild goose chase…_ Harry thought, as a sense of complete hopelessness crashed into him. _He had somehow factored in this vague possibility and hadn't taken his chance by merely allowing the trio do it all as per usual…_

"But… Doesn't that also mean we could lose _you_ forever too?" Draco asked, his face expressionless. Harry was blown away by how brave Draco was being at the moment.

Hermione merely smiled, but her eyes conveyed deep hurt and apology. "Not really… You see," she sniffed and wrung her hands together in total guilt. "I have two stories for myself. _Two_ alternatives. When we started, I had a different story, a different name, a different origin in a _whole_ other place," she said, nervously eyeing the three boys. "But because of turning time, I discovered the other side of my story—where I actually came from. So, I have two alternatives and either one could materialize if something were to go wrong... So even if circumstances lead to Izzy and Sirius not getting together in this future, I'd simply end up being born the Muggle girl to the Grangers and _not_ be the carrier of the Curse…" she cried, as two fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "So… S-Since I have two stories, anything could happen and I would live either way… But you don't have that and—and… that's why it's such a big problem…!"

"What in the bloody hell…" muttered Ron as he looked towards Draco. Draco, however, hadn't taken his eyes off of Hermione. He simply stared back at her in shock as the undeniable truth slowly sank in.

"I did not see that coming…" he finally muttered. He looked towards Harry, "You still want to 'trust' Dumbledore?" he made air-quotes with his fingers before swinging around and storming away in the opposite direction.

"Draco, wait!" Ron called after him. "Mate, please don't do anything STUPID now!" he suddenly bellowed and Harry realized why: Draco had pulled his wand out and was raging towards Flamel's house, no doubt to kill Dumbledore!

"Draco, NOOO!" Harry yelled and ran after him as well but Ron had caught up with him already.

He roughly turned him around to face him.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT, WEASLEY?!"

"For you to CALM DOWN!" Ron yelled into his face. The two of them glared back into each other's eyes, fuming with the rush of adrenaline. "Now, I SWEAR I have a point to make, but I'm begging you to just LISTEN to me!" he said, still breathing hard. "Nothing's happening to you," he breathed. "I don't know how, but I just _know_ that… As long as I'm around, nothing's EVER happening to all THREE of you!" he bellowed, but Harry noticed Draco calming down considerably. "Now, I _know_ you're scared, but is it TOO MUCH to ask for you to _just grow a pair_ and come along on this sodding journey with us?!"

Draco merely blinked, no doubt, taken aback by Ron's outburst. However, going by the _murderous_ look that Ron was sporting currently, he decided giving him an answer was the best thing to do. "Er... N-no…" came his uncertain reply. "I wouldn't say it is…" he gulped as Ron let go of his collar.

Harry and Hermione exchanged surprised glances and bit back a smile. "Er… Not to ruin the moment or anything…" Harry cleared his throat as he cheekily walked up to the lads, "but er… We have serious business at the Ministry, so can we move it along?" he smiled and thumped Draco on the back. It was surprising how, even when NOTHING was going right, they always found something to smile about and go on as if everything's just perfect.

Draco darkly rolled his eyes. "Come on then."

~oOo—oOo~

Sirius had his hands shoved down his pockets as he stared good-humouredly at Isabella's boiling red face. "You know, we could either stand here forever and freeze to death or actually _talk_ about what it is that's really bugging you and get on with our lives…?" he raised his eyebrows expectantly at her.

Isabella hung her head in complete despair. "I'd rather freeze to death than talk about it!" she sulked, making him laugh even more.

"Yeah, lovely idea, really, but tell you what," he said, rubbing his chin as if he was deep in thought. "I'm rather _far too good-looking_ to die so young," he said, fighting too hard to keep a straight face. "Besides, I haven't gotten laid as yet too, so er… could you _please_ reconsider?" he guffawed, only to get punched hard in the ribs (not like he felt anything _at all_ ). Sirius couldn't help but notice a slight smile forcing itself on Isabella's lips. "Alright, alright, just _tell_ me already…" he said, swinging his hand around her shoulder and leading her up to the Astronomy Tower.

"Tell you _what_? _I_ don't know even what, how am I supposed to make you understand…?" she whined from under his embrace as they ambled about the silent corridors. "Sirius…" she said and stopped him in his tracks. "He's to be engaged to Black this New Year's…" she said, as her eyes met his. All the colour in Sirius's face drained away as he stared into those sad glass orbs.

"Who… Be— _Bellatrix_?!"

"NO! Of course, _not_!" she sighed. " _Narcissa_ …"

"Huh… yeah, well now _that_ makes a lot of sense," he smiled sheepishly, but his expression changed immediately. "Okay, but, what did you say to that?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear this at all.

"Well, I wished him good luck… " she replied shakily, while trailing her eyes away from his, as if fearing he might see something there that he ideally shouldn't.

"But… You don't… _want_ him to…?" he knew he was treading dangerous territory here, but he had to know.

He just _did_.

"Good question. If you had asked me that even about a week ago, I could've most confidently told you that I didn't care. That all I ever wanted and _will_ ever want in this lifetime was you. But ever since I stepped in front of that mirror, I feel like my whole has been spun _upside-down_ , Sirius! I'm not thinking straight, I feel drawn to Lucius for some unknown reason, I am hounded by _unspeakable_ desires and I keep dreaming of some war and I see scores and scores of dead people _strewn_ across the valley and when I look up, I see a lone figure standing on the high peak of the mountain—me. It's _me_ standing there like I've _accomplished_ a great deed, but in reality, I've _killed_ all those people and I feel NO remorse!" she squealed and looked into his eyes for answers. "What's happening to me, Sirius? I'm scared, please help me…" she pleaded.

Sirius simply stared back, his mind buzzing with all the information that she had managed to cram in the space of a minute. "These don't sound like 'dreams' Izzy…" he finally said, as he continued to stare blankly ahead, deep in thought. "They're more like… past life _memories_ …" he muttered. "Izzy, I know this may sound wrong on a lot of levels…" he started as he took her in his arms, "but I think you're experiencing these—well, emotions—for Lucius most likely due to dark forces of your past…" he wondered out loud.

"Okay, Izzy, tell me exactly what happened on this day…"

"Oh, I don't know… I was just getting to class when I saw Snape crying in this empty classroom that housed this… _evil_ mirror! And he also had this locket that—that sent out this monster which went _crashing_ into the mirror… MENTAL day, that was, but nothing happened… I mean, I was under the impression that something like that could ideally send out _waves_ of aftermaths, but everything's seemed normal…"

"Oh my god, SO MUCH has happened and you didn't even TELL me?!" bellowed Sirius. "Izzy, you're either SUPER smart or SUPER STUPID!" he scolded her as he grabbed hold of her hand and ran down towards the dungeons. "We need to find Snape!"


	46. The Elvedorian Promise

**A/N: Yes, I am BACK after a whole 2 months! My sincerest apologies... I couldn't get here earlier as I was busy moving to a new city and settling down... The only upside to having spent so long without an update was that I received several PM's asking for the next installment which totally made my day! :) =) I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of this chap... pleeeease review... :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 46: The Elvedorian Promise**

 **Day 5: DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE CAVE BY THE SEA, CLIFFS OF MOHER, IRELAND  
12:00 PM**

A worn-out copper kettle sat crackling above a small fire as she moved around impatiently, turning the ruddy stone in her hand, waiting…

Suddenly, the fire flared up and the wood crackled and spewed, almost dismounting the kettle in the process. She stopped dead in her tracks. Fear and anguish seared through her body, almost burning her as it shot through her veins. Little drops of sweat burst through her pores as she slowly turned her head towards the now blazing and crackling fire.

"It's starting…" she murmured to herself as she inched closer towards the fierce fire. "My burden has finally been lifted," Mother Medea whispered as tears of freedom trickled down her face. The onus of carrying the Oath of Silence for _hundreds and hundreds_ of years was finally withering away as she was struck by a war of emotions, starting from total peril to pure happiness. "I am relieved of my duty at long last…" she sobbed as she sunk to the floor, the red stone clutched tightly in her palm.

The fire got bigger and bigger now and started to lick the walls and the floor of the tiny cottage as her frail body continued to quiver with the weight of her newfound freedom. And even as she sat there greeting death, however, she remembered something else: she could not leave this world just yet. With fire burning in her eyes, she remembered that she had one last thing to do before she could join her sisters once again as the entire cottage got engulfed in flames.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE MOOR'S BAY, MOULD-ON-THE-WOLD  
 _12:00 PM_

"Alright then, this is the plan," Ron clapped his hands together and stared solemnly at the little sketch he'd managed to draw for their 'mission'. Harry, in all honesty, _most genuinely_ wanted to take this sketch seriously, but given that it had large misshapen circles for 'rooms' and several oversized heads sitting on far too short stick-legs to indicate 'people', made it very hard not to burst out laughing. And it almost looked like Ron could _hear_ the thoughts running in Harry's head, because a second later, his ears turned a bright shade of red. "Yes, alright, the sketch might not be ' _all that_ ' but the plan is _rad_!" he stared wide-eyed at the others, as if inviting anyone to challenge that statement.

The others merely exchanged exasperated looks. "Alright then, run us through your plan, Ron," Harry cleared his throat and waited innocently.

"Why, of course," he began but before he could even utter another word, Hermione sighed irritably next to Harry.

" _Yes_ , _yes_ , Ron, it's lovely, but seeing as we're desperately running out of time…" she trailed off and absent-mindedly dug into her bag to pull out her notes. Without waiting for a response, she continued on, making him stare disbelievingly at her.

"Alright, so if we were to follow the series of events according to Sirius's diary," she was clearly oblivious to the magnitude of hurt that Ron was experiencing at the moment, "it would be safe to assume that, by 31st December, the official induction ceremony for Aurors will have taken place and all the students will have been sent home for a brief vacation. It is in that time that Sirius moves out of the Potters' and gets a place of his own. Shortly after the troop returns to school is when Voldemort attacks an 'unguarded' Hogwarts looking for the founder's heirlooms!" she was speaking _so_ fast right now that Harry literally had to repeat the words in his mind once more to make sense of it all.

"Now, we're not sure WHICH of these events will take place and which won't, given that we have meddled with the natural course of History but I am sure of this: the attack on Hogwarts WILL happen and we need to make sure we use that opportunity and overthrow Voldemort Once. And. For. All!" she slammed her hand on the table with such fierceness that the boys nearly stepped back a little.

"As for our current mission in the Ministry, we will all be taking Polyjuice potions and Draco and Ron will assume random reasons to roam about in the Ministry, while Harry and I sneak into the Department of Mysteries. As soon as we're done with our mission, I shall send out a signal of some sort for all of us to assemble back in the centre of the hall in Level One. _Are we clear_?"

There was a pause when no one answered. "Why, thank you, my job here is done," Ron clapped his hands as he crumpled up the parchment and threw it over his head. Harry winced as he heard the crumpled up ball bounce behind him. He and Draco sent apologetic and helpless looks towards Ron, but he merely pushed past them and said, "Let's get on with it then."

Hermione only then realized what she'd done. Her cheeks flared up guiltily as she watched him walk away from her and immediately turned to Harry for help. "I'm sorry Harry, but we just don't have the time to… to…"

" _Just forget it_ ," he almost snapped back but as an afterthought went on to add, "Look, it doesn't matter now, Hermione, Ron has the memory span of a _goldfish_. He won't even remember this happened two _hours_ from now, so come on, let's get a move on," he said and dashed after Ron. Draco and Hermione exchanged a brief glance before bounding after him too.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
EMPTY CLASSROOM, HOGWARTS  
12:07 PM

"…JUST tell us what you _know_ , Sni—I mean, _Snape_ ," Sirius grudgingly corrected himself under the deathly glares of Isabella and Lily. "Now, you _were_ there with us in the restricted section of the library that day when we discovered that book, so don't even try and lie about it…!"

"Oh, _bloody hell_ , Sirius, of course, he's not going to _lie_!" Lily added crossly. "But, honestly, what is going on? What are they on about, Sev?" she asked in a small voice, seemingly in a casual tone, but the tension between her and Severus was more than evident. From the second the four of them had entered the classroom, he hadn't _once_ looked in her direction. If there were ever a place on earth that he would avoid being in with a _fierce_ passion, that would be _this_ classroom with THIS set of people around him (each for a very specific reason, that too).

Choosing to completely ignore Lily's question, however, Severus addressed Sirius instead. "You're… _shaking_ ," he declared totally off point, making Sirius boil even more with suppressed impatience. "Tell me, Black, is it every Gryffindor's prerogative to almost _always_ find themselves on the edge of the world where everything's… _falling apart_?" he asked in that irritatingly sarcastic tone of his.

Sirius had to admit: if there ever was a person so talented as to make one _murderous_ in under 10 seconds, it _had_ to be Severus, hands down. Smirking resignedly, Sirius said "Why, _yes_ , as a matter of fact," he mused, feigning wonderment. "We Gryffindors do like dwelling under _extremely_ unstable conditions," he fake-laughed. "But as much as I love having these _precious_ little exchanges with you, may I suggest we just get on with what's actually… _important_?" he spat out scathingly.

Severus opened his mouth, ready to shoot out something equally murderous when Lily cut in. "Begging you two to cut it out already," she seethed.

"Yeah, honestly, this is ridiculous! Lily, _please_ talk to Severus?" Isabella said to Lily. "This is incredibly important and for some odd reason, I feel like we're running out of time… Plus, he'll listen _only_ to you…"

Lily sighed exasperated. "Sev, come on. Can we be grown up for once?" she asked, eyeing him nervously. "What is this all about? Which day is Sirius referring to here?"

Severus immediately tensed. The exasperating reluctance that he was battling at the moment was more than obvious and it was putting Sirius on edge, so much so that, he had to ball his hand into a tight fist to remain clam. And after almost _forever_ , Severus slowly faced Lily. That _second_ , everything changed: his eyes widened and all that he was left with now was sheer longing. And even from a distance, Sirius noticed Lily's face rapidly reddening under his gaze. "I'm guessing..." he started, wearing a wicked expression on his face, "that you still don't know about Remus, do you?" he simply asked.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows and looked straight at Sirius. It was now _Sirius's_ turn to flush red as he realized what Severus had done. Almost immediately he turned to look at Isabella who looked equally curious. "Er… I… I… Well, it's… it's no big deal, honestly… it's… it's just that Remus is a… He… He…"

"…is a Werewolf," Snape finished off for Sirius. The two girls gasped with shock at the news and both of them seemed betrayed beyond expression more than anything else. "That day, four years ago, on Faerie's Eve, was when I found out about it. I was researching the concoction techniques for an antidote for Knarl stings when I saw Potter and his friends sneak into the library. They were clearly looking for something important and, given that it was going to be a full moon in a couple of days and having already guessed Lupin's condition, I almost instantly knew they were studying the technique to brew the Wolfsbane potion."

"And since he was… well… really good at potions," Sirius started, eyeing the girls innocently, "he offered to help us…"

Both Lily and Isabella looked gobsmacked beyond words. " _You_ … helped _them_?" Lily asked Severus, sounding both and shocked and amused at the same time.

"Not so immature after all, huh?" Severus replied, with a hint of a smile cutting his face. "Anyway, it was a long night and we'd spent well over two hours brewing the potion in the library when a random book from the top shelf most randomly slid out of the wooden rack and fell right on top of Black's head."

Sirius's hand unconsciously shot up to rub the part where it had struck him. "Can you believe it still hurts…" he said, rubbing the top of his head. "Anyway, that was when it happened," he said, as his eyes dilated, as if the incident played all over again in front of his eyes. "The book flopped open and a mystical white cloud of light shot out from it followed by an eerie voice that screeched out some sort of a _foretelling_! If I remember correctly, it said,

' _Thus Cometh the Time…  
The Son of the Curse, Seven Births Hence,  
Darkness He Will Defy…  
Yet Unbeknownst to None,  
Beyond the Mirror Whence…'"_

A deathly silence fell across the room. A moment's hesitation later Isabella turned to Severus. "Son of the curse?" she repeated. " _Sirius_ is the son of the curse?" she asked, as her face flushed with innocent guilt. "Not... Not Lu...?" she stopped in mid-sentence. "What do you know, Severus? Tell me everything, please…" she said, sounding both nervous and guilty at the same time.

But before Severus could respond, Sirius cut it. "We didn't know anything about it then," Sirius responded truthfully. "We just thought it was some random loony book that was designed to get students like us caught and hence, we simply made a dash for it!" he grinned, continuing to be completely oblivious to Isabella's current mood.

It was only after a couple of minutes did Sirius realize that Severus and Isabella were having some sort of a mute dialogue exchange that he and Lily weren't a part of. A moment later, Severus finally spoke.

"Yes, Isabella," he said, responding to an unspoken question from Isabella. "You and _Sirius..._ are the Cursed Pair, a curse that was delivered personally by Mávros himself. What you saw in the mirror that day, however, has a whole other explanation which could mean either of the following: one, the Dark Lord wanted to mess with your head and turn you against your 'pair'" he nodded towards Sirius, "by tapping into your heart's deepest desire, or else, the mirror was simply showing you your true blood allegiance," he concluded and watched Isabella's face steadily start to pale.

"And because the mysterious voice from the book spoke of a 'Mirror' too, I think we still have some unfinished business with the Den of Desire," said Sirius, making them break eye-contact at long last. "At the end of the day, I just hope your vision is clearing up again, Izzy… Magical relics such as this mirror are _not_ to be trusted because, often times than not, they were made for all the wrong reasons… _only_ ," he added, giving her a knowing look.

~oO _**around the same time...**_

Lucius was staring at the green and silver colored parchment with the Malfoy House's seal that he had received from his father mere hours ago, quite unable to believe his own eyes. It was the document that magically bound the Malfoy House with the Blacks. Which means Lucius's marriage to Narcissa has been finalised and there was NOTHING he could do to stop it without causing fatal repercussions... And just as he drowned himself in a pool of anxiety, he was startled by loud voices echoing through the passage out of nowhere. It looked they were having an argument.

"…because once _I_ become Lady Black, _no one_ can stop me! Imagine the look on the Dark Lord's face when I make the Blacks submit to me and finally turn over to the Dark side!" a shrill voice floated towards him. "An _army_ of the biggest and the noblest of all Houses joining forces with the Dark Lord because of _me_!" it said, most proudly. "And Lucius… He thought he'd get away with his TREACHERY?!" the voice said. "He thought he could _betray_ me? Every time I heard him mumbling ' _Bella… Bella…_ ' in his sleep, he was saying MY NAME! He was promised to _ME_! I'm the ELDEST…!"

"…and the most FOOLISH too!" came another voice. "Honestly, Trixie, of _all_ the things that I thought you were capable of, taking revenge on your own sister's fiance was the _last_ thing I thought you'd do! Besides, Sirius is our _first cousin_! you can't just _trick_ Aunt Walburga into accepting you as her future _daughter-in-law_!"

"Ooooh, poor baby is so innocent…" she said, stupidly patting the side of Andromeda's face. "I can't trick her but I can trick _him_ , that worthless piece of _slime_!" Bellatrix said, her voice dripping with greed and mad joy. Andromeda's eyes widened in incredulity and shock. "Anyway, I will be doing our high aunt a favour by finally taming her _good-for-nothing_ , _going_ -to-named- _Lord_ -of-the-House, _bastard_! It's a win-win for all, Rommie, don't you see the brilliance in my plan at all?!" she cackled away and stormed out of the dungeons as if on a mission.

Lucius's head swam with shock as he interpreted what he just heard. _What is the world is WRONG with that witch?! She thought I... that I... WHAT?!_ he thought as he distractedly rubbed his face to calm down. _One problem at a time, Lue!_ He told himself and clenched his hand into a tight fist as anger surged through his body. He desperately needed to do something... and _quick_.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE ATRIUM, MINISTRY OF MAGIC  
 _12:30 PM_

The Ministry was nearly empty given that it was the afternoon on Christmas. Their footsteps echoed over and above the steady rush of water from the golden fountain in the centre of the large circular Atrium. As predicted, beyond the fountain sat a lonely security goblin, snoring away to glory behind his desk. Harry was glad Hermione had carried some Polyjuice Potion in her purse for them to assume random people's appearances.

The four of them, now looking like four tall and serious-looking male Aurors walked up to the sleeping guard, feeling more sceptical than necessary. Harry realized the threat of Voldemort rising had still not made headlines presently, which explains the lax in security. It was only then that he realized just how much tension his generation had live in.

"Er, excuse me, we're here to man the vaults for the holidays…" the burly, red-headed Auror (Ron) managed to say as assertively as possible. The goblin opened one eye and looked at the so-called fierce-looking faces of big, burly Aurors. "I demand you let us in!" he said, even more loudly this time.

The goblin merely yawned and flicked his wand which opened the lift doors behind, much to their astonishment. _That's it? No, 'show me your wand!' or 'who are you and who's sent you here?' or 'INTRUDERS! We have INTRUDERS!' Was there_ actually _no need for any heroics or jumping through hoops to get to their destination?_ Harry thought as the four of them silently slid past the guard. Going by the looks on their faces, Harry was sure they were thinking the exact same thing too.

As soon as they got into the gold lift, the shortest of the four Aurors (Hermione) turned to face the rest. "Okay, that seemed oddly easy," he whispered, shrugging effeminately, as the lift clattered and rattled against the walls, descending one floor after another before it clanged loudly to a halt and a cool female voice spoke to them, "Department of Mysteries."

Harry realized that he was finally back to the place where it had all started (or rather ended for him) and was instantly hit with a shock-wave. Pangs and pangs of guilt crashed into him as he recalled what this place meant to him: this was the place where it had happened; where all his hope of a happy future had evaporated into thin air; where the person he had respected the most in his life had fallen through The Veil; where Sirius Black had disappeared from his life forever because of _him_. The guilt of ' _almost_ ' killing his godfather rose up inside him like poison, making his vision blurry… The time has come to finally stop running and face his worst nightmare.

The others slowly filed out once the grilles rattled open but Harry stayed put. He couldn't do it. What was he going to say to Sirius anyway? That he must allow himself to be killed in the war so that Harry and the rest of them could have a great future?! That he was going to have to forgo a life with the one person he loves just because Dumbledore wanted a repeat in History? That, if he were taken out of the equation, peace can finally be restored in the world? And then what? What if things _don't_ go as planned for the future? Was all this even NECESSARY?!

"Harry, it's time," came a female voice and Harry was jerked out of his thoughts. Hermione, Ron and a half-transformed Draco stood in the hallway waiting for him to join them. "This is the moment you have unknowingly waited for all your life… You have one more chance to do it right this time, Harry… Come on," she said and mutely turned around to face the door directly opposite to the lift grilles. Having worked here all her life, she seemed to have mastered every door in the Department.

"Wait, Hermione!" Harry called. He finally started to sound (and look) like himself again since the Polyjuice Potion was finally wearing off. "I don't think we _all_ should go in there for this. We haven't got a clue what's going on in the outside world and in the school… I really think you three need to return to the castle while I deal with this…" he offered, sounding hopeful.

"We can't leave you alone here, mate," said Draco, looking incredulous. "What if something were to happen to you or if you got stuck _permanently_ behind The Veil like _Black_?! Absolutely, bloody not!" he put his foot down.

"I agree," said Ron. "I think Hermione and I should return to the castle and keep watch of the kids while you two deal with this here," he said dryly, still refusing to meet Hermione's gaze. It was only then that Harry noticed it: Ron's pocket was flashing a low white light and his hand kept twitching at his side as if he was itching to do something really important.

"Ron's right, you know?" Hermione squeaked. "I think Draco and you can handle this by yourselves..." she said, sounding very unlike herself. "Besides, you'd want to do this alone, right, Harry?"

Harry gave a slight thought and nodded truthfully. "Yeah, I think that does make sense. Draco can keep watch while I... do what I have to do..." he trailed off.

Ron nodded too."Alright then, you take care of yourself, yeah?" he said, giving Harry a cursory pat of support. "Just... don't get stuck down there like Sirius did, or I'm going to have to hunt you down and kick your arse!" he grinned and roughly shook his shoulder. "See you soon!" he called out over his shoulder as he walked back towards Hermione and the two of them disapparated in the blink of an eye.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
DEATH CHAMBER,THE DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES  
 _12:56 PM_

A cold breeze washed over their faces as they stood looking at the towering, physical manifestation of the barrier between the lands of the living and the dead. A familiar rush of angst shot through Harry as the faint whispers from The Veil swam towards him.

"My word..." whispered Draco from Harry's left as he stared on, awestruck at finally seeing the ancient archway that he's heard so much about. "You sure you want to do this, mate?" he asked Harry, sounding genuinely concerned for his life. "I mean, we could turn back even now, you _don't_ have to do this..."

Harry merely smiled as he twirled the Resurrection Stone in his hand. "I've come too close to turn back now, Draco..." he said and looked him straight in the eye. "Anyway, so this is how it's supposed to work. As soon as I walk through that curtain, I will have ventured into the in-between. I am neither alive nor dead. And, if you do see the curtain fluttering a bit more than usual, it means I am trying to get out and that's when you turn this stone three times in your hand and say the incantation. And hopefully... I return with Sirius..." he breathed out, nervousness more than evident in his voice. "And... If I don't come back soon enough," his breath hitched in his throat, "find Ron and Hermione and end this," he said, trembling more than ever. "If I don't return..."

"Honestly, Potter...?"

"...YOU are to take my place," Harry cut in, not letting him finish. "Unite the Hallows, destroy the locket and kill Tom. Are we clear...?"

"I..."

"Draco... Are. We. Clear?"

"Potter, I'm not _ballsy_ enough to do that...!"

"You don't have to be, Malfoy. I wasn't too, NO ONE is. We just... _rise_ to the occasion, I reckon... Just do it, alright? I have to go now..." he said and looked at the stone one more time before tossing it over towards Draco.

Without another thought, without even the slightest hesitation, Harry swiftly turned around and walked straight towards The Veil. Closer and closer he went. His breaths got shallower and his head started to swim with panic as his brain sounded the alarm and yet, he did not stop. He knew he had to do this, he knew he could not turn back NOW. With a final bang of courage, Harry's final few steps towards The Veil was at a sprint as he sprang over the threshold and watched the black curtain get closer and closer to him and then suddenly...

 **Darkness.**

There was neither land nor air, neither light nor darkness; he was neither alive nor dead now. However, there was no way of returning to the land of the living as there wasn't an archway anymore, no door in sight nor a path in place for miles and miles around him for as far as he could see. Cold and faceless bodies rise and fell around him from grey clouds at his feet and the whispers got louder. It looked like he was surrounded by people except he saw _no one_ at all. Panic shot through him as Harry stood there, alone, cold and soulless...

"You shouldn't have... Harry..." said a voice from behind and, for the first time ever, Harry neither felt startled nor struck with panic or guilt or hurt or anything; all that coursed through his body was happiness... Absolute, pure happiness that shot up his face and got reduced to tears as he slowly turned around out to look at the face of the person who'd said those words.

Sirius Black. The man who had given up his EVERYTHING to protect his godson; the man who had been ready to spend a lifetime in Azkaban for a crime that he never did; the man whose whole life was a tragedy and yet, not a sign of remorse or hatred hung in that angelic face as he stood there staring down at Harry, eyes brimming with tears of joy. Without another word, Harry felt himself lunge forward and hug his godfather/ big brother as he broke down entirely. The two men stood there in the middle of nowhere, reveling in happiness at finally being united once more.

"You _really_ shouldn't have!" Sirius repeated as he finally let go of him and wiped his face."What were you thinking?! There's no way of getting out of here, Harry, why? WHY did you...?"

"I needed to see you one more time, Sirius... I needed to tell you how sorry I am! This was all my fault!" Harry balled his into a tight fist, as anger seared through his body. "This place... this place is worse than death!" he called out as his emotions flared up again. "I'm sorry, Sirius, I really am..."

"No, Harry, stop it, stop blaming yourself for everything!" Sirius said, roughly shaking him out of his guilt. "Each of us go where our destinies take us. No one person can be blamed for how life turned out for another, so please... stop beating yourself for what happened to me and please, oh please tell me you know how get out of here!"

"Whether I return or not is currently immaterial, Sirius," Harry said solemnly. "I am here for something else too. I am here on Dumbledore's orders."

Sirius stared disbelievingly at Harry. "What does he want _this_ time?" Sirius growled.

Harry sighed. He wasn't even sure how to start or what to say. "Sirius, do you recognise this woman?" he said and pulled out a photo of the Marauders and their friends, Frank, Alice, Claiborne, Lily, Mary and Isabella. Sirius scanned through the photo and a slight smile cut his face as he looked at the happy faces of Remus, James, Frank and Lily. However, when his eyes fell on the girl that he had his arm around, his face suddenly changed. A sense of sorrow suddenly crept up his body as long-gone memories of his wife and daughter came flooding back to him. A slow tear trickled down his face as he looked up at Harry, waiting for what he had to say about the love of his life.

"Dumbledore tells me, you need to give her up this time, Sirius," he said, almost choking at the end of the sentence. "Dumbledore tells me that in order to break the curse forever, we need to break the pattern; we need you out of the equation."

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
HOGWARTS  
 _01:00 PM_

Her breaths were coming out in rags now as she dragged herself through a maze of passages, trying to find the Pair. She was running out of time... There had to be a way to find them before she left this world forever...

On and on and she went, her jaw hanging open, heaving in buckets and buckets of air, just to remain alive... "Just a little bit longer... Almost there... Almost..." she whispered and turned a corner. Relief washed over her as her eyes fell on Isabella holding a teapot in her hand and speaking to Sirius.

"...I made this especially for _you_ , my pumpkin!" she said, staring widely at a very confused Sirius. "You must try it, why aren't you _trying_ it?!" she said, even more fiercely now.

"Izzy, why are you acting crazy? I told you, I just ate, I don't want to have _tea_ at..." he looked up at the giant clock in the Entrance Hall, "...it's _mid-day_!" he said, looking bewildered beyond expression.

"I-Isa... Isabella..." called out Mother Medea, but her voice hardly carried over the distance. She put her hand inside her robes and pulled out the Philosopher's Stone. Her vision was starting to blur now as she inched closer to the pair. "Isabella..." she said one more time, her hand now outstretched, quivering under the weight of the red stone, but the two of them had still not heard her. Desperation peaked as she felt her life finally coming to an end.

"Isabella!" she hissed and grabbed hold of her hand, making the teapot crash on to the dilapidated stone floor. Isabella and Sirius leaped up in surprise but Mother Medea had no time to explain. She merely had the energy to open Isabella's palm, place the red stone in it and stare once more into those wicked eyes of her great niece before greeting death once and for all.

Her frail body fell thud to the floor, finally marking the end to the Elvedorian Promise. An astonished Sirius looked towards Isabella only to find her staring madly at the red stone, her face filled with an odd sense of mad joy. Just then, he heard Lucius dashing down to the Entrance Hall from the upper floors and stop dead in front of them. Isabella turned to look at the shocked face of Lucius and an evil grin cut across her face. "Too late, Malfoy..." she grinned, her eyes widening more and more with pure wickedness now, as he hair slowly started to change from wavy brown, to curly black. Sirius's eyes widened in shock as he watched Isabella's tender features melt away and harden into sharp cheek and jaw bones. "No one's going to stop the Dark Lord NOW!" she shrieked and dashed out of the great front doors at the speed of light.

Lucius had already stormed after her, but she disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Sirius to finally realise what was happening: All this time, he had been talking to Bellatrix, not Isabella... Bellatrix had been trying to get him to drink something that would ideally have killed him in under _three seconds_... And now, Bellatrix had the Philosoper's Stone. That means the Dark Lord will be soon be _immortal_...


	47. Doomsday Conspiracy

**A/N: Hello, my lovelies! I hope everyone's having a SPLENDID time in the holidays! :D Here's another update.. :***

 **I know, I had promised to update every once a week going forward, but I failed and I am sorry. Also, I had originally planned to include a lot many more elements to this chap, but I had already touched 4K words, so thought I'd stop. Request all to be patient with this chap, because every element here is imp for the coming installments and I could NOT cut any of this short.**

 **Again, belated Christmas wishes to all and hope everyone has a GREAT New Year! :***

 ** _GenerikGuy814:_ I hope you like this chap too! =) And I lovvvvee your reviews, so please do feel free to send in your feedback, it would mean the world to me... =)**

 ** _Celeste38:_ You're right, I am unconsciously making it very hard for my heroes to find a level playing field for themselves... :P Hopefully I'll change that going forward! Read on! :* :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 47: Doomsday Conspiracy**

* * *

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
HOGWARTS  
 _01:26 PM_

The numbness that crept up Sirius's veins almost paralyzed him as he stood petrified beyond belief in front of the old woman's fallen body. She was probably the oldest and the most wrinkled woman he had ever laid eyes on. In truth, he knew he had to do something rather than just _stand_ there, but he could just not get himself to even _move a finger_ as fear gripped his heart. He had never seen a person die before…

"Hey, what was all that noise about?" came a voice from the entrance to the Great Hall, but Sirius didn't respond. He continued to stare speechlessly at the old woman on the floor, as if in a state of trance. "Sirius, what's going on?" the voice spoke again, but to Sirius, it seemed to come from a place very far away…

"HEY!" someone said and nearly the shook guts out of Sirius. Jerking awake, Sirius finally crash landed back to reality. "Wh—What… James! Ja… This woman, she… she…" he stuttered, still feeling mighty disoriented.

"Who _is_ she? What's happened?!" James asked looking equally petrified, no doubt hyperventilating at the thought that Sirius had accidentally (or not, WHO KNEW?!) managed to kill an old woman. "What did you _do_ , Sirius?!"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Sirius appealed. "She just… She… She just dropped dead in front of me and… and… Oh my god, where is Lucius?" he asked, suddenly remembering THE most important thing that the entire magical community should be worried about at the moment. He scanned the grounds and spotted the blond standing speechlessly in the distance, no doubt losing his shit over the exact same thing too. "LUCIUS!" he called and ran after him.

"Sirius?!" said James, "are you _honestly_ going to leave me alone with a _dead person_ in the Entrance Hall?!" he called out but Sirius didn't have time to stop and respond and continued to dash towards a dumbfounded Lucius.

By this time, all the students in the Great Hall were getting curious at all the commotion coming from the Entrance Hall too and many were slowly starting to trickle out of the great wooden doors to see what was going on. And then all hell broke loose.

Even from a distance, Sirius could distinctly hear the faint screams of students rising up, no doubt after spotting that old woman's body… He couldn't care less though, because they now had much bigger problems to face—in other words, _shit just got real._ Sirius's long legs quickly ate up the distance between him and Lucius, but going by Lucius's calm demeanor, something shifted in Sirius which made him stop running and slow down to a strut when he neared him. If Lucius had heard him coming, he did not show it. And Sirius didn't blame him.

Panting, Sirius silently strode next to Lucius and stared hard at the place where Bellatrix had disapparated, the two of them sharing a comfortable silence despite their world burning to the ground.

A moment passed when neither spoke, being fully aware that ALL hope was lost now. "I am sorry I didn't get there on time," Lucius finally spoke, looking grim as ever.

"Don't be ridiculous, you could never have known what was coming… No one could've known this was coming..." came Sirius's sensible reply, and the two of them nodded in agreement.

Silence again while Sirius reflected on this baffling sense camaraderie that the of them were sharing for each other all of a sudden. "Mighty master planner, your cousin," Lucius added, no doubt thinking the same thing.

"Not a chance, she didn't plan for _any_ of this either," he muttered back. "She's just... always in the right place at the right time," he said, as his face flushed with anger. Sighing heavily, he finally turned to look at Lucius for the first time since he got here (he also made a mental note of the commotion that was taking place far away in the castle with professors and students thronging the scene). "Tell me what you know, Malfoy…" he simply said, as Lucius continued to be lost in thought.

Lucius graced him with a sidelong look. "Are you sure you can handle it all?" Lucius challenged, a slight smirk cutting his flawless features. Without waiting for a response, he continued, "You have a lot of enemies, Black… Enemies who double up as 'friends' when they're not doing _others'_ bidding…" he said, and paused to see all the colour drain from Sirius's face (it was almost as if Sirius _knew_ who Lucius was referring to). Lucius drew to his full height and turned around to face Sirius before delivering the blow: "Pettigrew can't be trusted, mate…" he said without mincing words, as Sirius mutely stared disbelievingly at Lucius's apologetic face.

"It all started when Pettigrew burst into our common room a couple of days ago to let me know that there was an 'intruder' in the castle who was after Isabella. When I questioned him a bit more, he told me that the 'intruder' had stolen the engagement ring that _you_ intended to give Isabella later that day… Also that," he said and paused, almost as if he was scared how to phrase the sentence lest Sirius would completely flip out, "Pettigrew was… _instructed_ to replace the original with a duplicate by Bellatrix… and he _obliged_ ," he said, and the two men exchanged a shocked silence. Sirius's mouth had gone dry now from keeping it open for too long as he drank in every word that Lucius said.

"The good thing about all this muck," Lucius continued, "was that Peter was unsuccessful because, the ' _intruder_ ' got there first and _stole_ the ring..."

"Who _is_ this intruder?"

"I don't know but it looks he may be your well-wisher," Lucius said, eyeing him darkly.

A noise from the back interrupted them as the two swung around identically to realize they had company.

"What's going on here, lads? Is everything alright?" the voice of James reached them from a distance. From the corner of his eye, Sirius noticed James, Remus and Frank approach the pair. Turning his attention back to Lucius, he said, "Go on, tell me everything," he said with a note of urgency in his voice as he motioned for the others to give him a minute.

"About Bellatrix,well, it looks like she was mildly ' _upset_ ' for the lack of a better word, that father was keen on getting me engaged to her _sister_ rather than _her_. Quite predictably, she sought revenge by…" he held his breath and glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor boys running towards them, "plotting to get engaged… to _you_ ," he said, pointing at Sirius. "The teapot that she was holding in her hand today most likely contained a strong dose of _Amortentia_ in order to lure you into her trap…!" he added really quickly just as the others joined them.

"Pads, what..." James panted, looking mighty worried, "What's this all about, who was that _woman_...?" he asked looking between Sirius and Lucius with a curious expression.

"I have some bad news for us, mate," Sirius rasped, giving James a pointed look. "If we don't act fast, we're doomed..." he breathed, making Remus and James look at him feeling sick with worry.

"Er… We have news too…" Frank offered, as he innocently put his hand up, trying to get their attention. "Dumbledore just got here and he looks _beat_!"

"Yeah, something seems _terribly_ wrong with him…" said James, looking particularly disconcerted with the latest developments. "He's also accompanied by another _really_ old bloke. Also that dead, old woman? Looks like a very important person because he was going bonkers over it just now…"

Sirius rubbed his face in frustration. "Yeah, none of it _matters_ now, James, _none_ of ANY of this matters for the time being _at least_!" he said impatiently, as the weight of the problem at hand crashed into him all over again.

"Mate, what's going on?" asked Remus, his face ridden with worry.

"Remus, _Bellatrix has the Philosopher's Stone_! That means that _Voldypants_ person is smiling at it _even as we speak_! He's coming for us, he's coming for _all_ of us!"

Fear rode up their faces, as everything finally cleared up for them. A dreadful silence fell around the little company.

Remus practically shuddered at the thought. "Mate, that stone is BAD NEWS..." Remus muttered as his forehead shimmered with sweat. "We're not going to survive what's coming..."

" _Exactly!_ " Sirius fumed as he rubbed his forehead with a shaky hand. "So, please, let's just focus only on the bigger picture here..."

"Hey!" James said, roughly grabbing Sirius by his shoulder. "Mate, calm down, we knew shit was going to blow up sooner or later, unfortunately it's _sooner_ but it's fine, we're going to deal with this, we've been ready for this moment _all our lives_ , alright?" he said, looking Sirius in the eye and shaking him back to his senses. "Or is there something else that's bothering you, Pads?" James asked, reading him like an X-Ray machine.

"No, nothing else, Prongs, everything's fine..." he lied, not even _trying_ to convince his best friend. Lucius raised his eyebrows at Sirius, shocked that he'd lie to blatantly to his own friends, but didn't say anything.

"Alright then, let's go find Dumbledore," Frank started.

"Yes, let's," said Sirius. "He'll know what to do! If we're going to act, we act NOW," he said with finality. "Let's call in the gang and put a plan in place. We need to prepare to strike at the _drop of a hat_!" he said, and the others vigorously agreed with him.

"What are we waiting for then? Come on, let's go!" Frank cheered on and the group of prepared to dash back towards the castle, all pumped up. "What about you, though?" Sirius said, suddenly stopping in his tracks and looking at Lucius. "Whose side are you going to be on?" he asked most solemnly, making everyone else stop and look at him awestruck.

Lucius raised an amused eyebrow at him, tossing the question over in his mind for a second. "Yours?" he said almost _matter-of-factly_ and broke out in a sheepish grin making everyone's jaws drop in shock. " _Anyday_ ," he added with a boyish smirk. For a split second nobody moved as they processed the words that had come out of his mouth. A second later, however, the boys broke out wolf-whistling at Lucius's face, a look of shock and _mind-wrecking_ amazement written across their faces. James and Frank were over the moon as they jumped and clapped Lucius's back in as a way of 'inducting' him into the gang! _Because,_ _who would've thought?!_ Still grinning, Lucius turned towards Sirius and their eyes locked. Before he could help himself, Sirius found himself break into an awkward chuckle too. "Well, come on, then," he muttered, scratching the back of his head whilst stifling a smile, "let's go," he said jerking his head to bring him aboard.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
 _01:42 PM_

~oO _**Ron's POV**_ Oo~

Ron sat biting his nails, his impatience resonated more than evidently. Hermione, for her part, merely kept shooting him glances, hoping and praying that he'd forgiven her for earlier. However, before either of them could say anything to each other, the double doors to Dumbledore's office swung open and in walked a frail-looking, almost-dying Dumbledore, supported by a worried-looking Flamel. It was evident that Dumbledore had dismissed the other teachers to accompany him here as he wanted a private conference with the 'Outsiders' (Ron & Hermione).

Ron and Hermione sprang up from their seats and rushed towards their old headmaster and help him on to his chair. At that instant Ron knew Dumbledore wasn't going to last for long... They would soon have to get ready to deal with the war by themselves like they had done in their own time. Pushing his worries behind his head, he mutely made his way back to his chair while Hermione fussed over a semi-conscious Dumbledore. Flamel, for his part, went about the office collecting potions in phials for Dumbledore's health.

"Professor, guide us. What are we to do?" Ron went straight to the point. Hermione turned to look at him curiously, amused at how solemn Ron suddenly sounded.

The old headmaster smiled. "Do you? Do you _really_ , Ron? Are you sure you... _don't_ already know what you have to do?" asked Dumbledore, managing to smile despite his battle with death. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, Hermione seeming flabbergasted while Ron exuded with nervous confidence. "You don't need me, not anymore. I think it's time you took the reigns in your _own_ hands now, Ron," he coughed, much to Hermione's utter astonishment. "Lead the troops, tell them what they need to do, and make sure we win!" he said even more fiercely now, his eyes suddenly burning with determination. "And if you ever need guidance, you know what you have to do," he nodded, giving Ron a knowing look.

Ron merely nodded as his hand tightened around the flashing Deluminator in his pocket. Hermione, who was merely a mute spectator up until now, looked bewildered beyond expression as she glanced between Dumbledore and Ron. Without another word, Ron sprang up and gestured towards Hermione to follow him.

"Do take care of yourself, professor," he said, a hint of concern crossing his tone. "We'll need you alive until Harry arrives... I hope you haven't forgotten," he said, in his most assertive and non-sentimental 'Auror' voice.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he merely twirled the Elder Wand in his hand as a response to Ron's question. "Oh, and I almost forgot," the old wizard rasped on, as he gently pulled out a greying hair from his head and dropped it into a tiny phial. "If you ever feel the need..." he said, giving him a knowing smile.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THIRD FLOOR STAIRWAY, HOGWARTS  
 _02:45 PM_

The past hour had been a very confusing time for the Marauders. They were denied conference with the Headmaster on the grounds that he was ' _too weak to accommodate anyone at the moment_ ,' the _entire_ Hufflepuff House had been gathered in their tower to observe an hour of mourning for their great ancestor, Peter (as usual) was nowhere to be seen and almost _all_ of the gang's mini councils had most interestingly included a couple of Slytherin faces which was totally _unheard_ of in the past. And even now, as Sirius and the rest of his gang sat gathered on the foot of a stairway on the third floor, Sirius couldn't help but feel excited to be among so many of his friends who're swearing to stand by one another and fight for the same cause—that included having Lucius around too. Isabella, for her part, bless her soul, had thankfully decided to regard Sirius's sudden 'friendship' with his arch nemesis as a rather ' _meh_ ' development, thus, saving him a lot of embarrassment (she did however, send the two a lot of amused glances every now and then, making Sirius's ears turn a deep crimson).

"...as you can all see, the situation is _dire_ ," James concluded.

The group immediately exploded with questions.

"So?! What, so we just run amok until people just _magically_ decide to _join forces with us_?!"

"Just, FYI, we're not going _anywhere_! The school is under _lockdown_!"

"Yeah, mate, honestly, what are you suggesting we do?"

"...yeah, no one's _ever_ going to believe us... We're just a bunch of seventeen-year-olds!"

"Absolutely! And we can't _possibly_ take matters into our own hands...?"

"I know! We're under the recruit of the _Ministry_! We could all _lose our jobs_!"

"Who cares?! There's a madman terrorising the living daylights out of all of us! This is what we've been training for!"

"Mate, don't be stupid, we can't just barge into his _face_ like that, we'll be _no match_ for him! Besides, he has an _army_ of blockheads and we're just TEN _very enthusiastic_ little prats!"

" _We can gather more_!"

"There _isn't_ any more! James, do you not understand how this works? We need an army and we don't have it! The Ravenclaws are _hardly_ any help and the Hufflepuffs are in _mourning_ and they're not going to do _anything_ for the next _thirteen days_ until the funeral is over!" Isabella yelled.

"You guys, this is getting us all _nowhere_!" Sirius finally cried and sprang up from his step. "Look, we're running out of time. When the time comes, we're not going to be given a _CHOICE_! We're _going_ to have to fight whether we all like it or not!"

Someone cleared their throat in the back. "Er... May I?" drawled Lucius, seeming _extremely_ fascinated by the Gryffindor vigour. Andromeda next to him, sported a similar expression too as she gracefully stifled a smirk. "Perhaps it would be the right moment to point out that, there has been a random piece of parchment floating above our heads for well over three minutes now..."

Sirius's head immediately jerked up as his eyes scanned the air above. Lucius was right: a neatly folded parchment lightly hovered above his head. Curiosity spiked through his head as he jumped up and grabbed hold of the parchment. His eyebrows shot further up in his forehead when he realized that the parchment was, in fact, addressed to _him_. Shooting a nervous glance at the company, he tore the parchment open only to find something round and small slither out of it. There was also something written in it:

'Dear Padfoot,  
No more squabbling. Split the group. Four Houses, four heirlooms, four secret chambers. Locket, Diadem, Cup, Pendant. Locket - FOUND, Pendant - FOUND. Find the rest. Gather the troops. Prepare for War. WE go to HIM this time.

P.S. Find the boy with the Jewel of Light, reflect on DESIRE, _I_ will burn it bright. Heir of Gryffindor wield the Sword. What is UP is now DOWN.

P.P.S. I believe this belongs to you...

\- _Signed,_  
 _A Well-Wisher_ '

Sirius opened his hand and found his mother's ring shining back at him in all its glory. The shock that Sirius experienced is almost indescribable as his jaw dropped open in utter bewilderment. The mystery 'well-wisher' is back... They're being sent help from _nowhere_! Sirius seemed to have floated off into a world of his own. Going by the expression on Sirius's face, Lucius jumped from where he was seated and grabbed the parchment out of Sirius's hands.

"Black," he said, making Sirius crash land back to earth, "this bloke isn't bluffing, I think we should as we're told," he said as the rest of the gang gathered around James to read the parchment too. "He helped you once, he is helping you again this time, I'd say go for it..."

"Not a chance!" came James's voice, "Pads, mate this could be a hoax! What if this is a trap to make us fall right into the hands of Voldemort?! We need to be cautious, mate, let's not jump to..."

"James, mate, please!" Sirius cut in, sweating profusely from hyperventilating over the situation. "Mate, we don't have time to assess if this is a hoax or not, but listen, this bloke helped me out earlier," he said sporting the ring between his fingers. Isabella instantly blushed but Sirius ignored it. "So I am not entirely sure if this is a ploy or not, so this is the deal: one half of us do as we're being told here and the rest of prepare for war if in case we indeed _are_ mistaken and everything's gone to dogs! Agree?"

James rolled that thought over his head for a second. "Alright," he said, nodding determinedly. "Alright, that's what we'll do! Lads, gather around!" he said, calling out to the others.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
DEATH CHAMBER, DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES  
 _02:45 PM_

Draco was completely jerked out of his wits when he something crash in the distance. He immediately turned towards the door to see what it was.

Nothing...

The Death Chamber was probably one of the _emptiest_ rooms he'd ever been in and hence, nothing could have ever _possibly_ fallen and crashed to the floor in here. So what's really going on?

Draco's breaths started to quicken and his brain sent him all the _worst-case-scenarios_ that he could most probably be stuck in... Another second by went by as the deathly silence swaddled around him. Panic shot through him as he heard yet _another_ crash, this time a lot closer than the last one had been. His heart hammered against his ribs now as his hand wound around his wand, hoping that it was just a figment of his imagination. Fear and panic consumed him now as he waited for the doors to burst open any second...

 _CRASH!_

The doors to the chamber splintered open and a whole _army_ of hooded Death Eaters and Dementors crashed into the room shrouding the hall into instant darkness.

A cackle of laughter resounded in the air over and above the _whooshes!_ and _screeches!_ and the shuffling of feet of the Dementors and the Death Eaters around Draco. With a shaky hand, he pointed his wand straight at the cackling face and saw Bellatrix evil eyes glimmering with glee. "The Lord knows _everything_..." she sang and all her supported roared into laughter in unison.

"What are you talking about...?" Draco droned, trying to relax his expression as best as he could. "Honestly, have you _no_ self-respect? Do you even _know_ who I am?" he small-talked, trying to work his brain and a find a way out of this hall.

It was only then, however, that Draco noticed an Orb of Prophecy clutched tightly in her hand.

"Oh yes, I do! My dear nephew..." she smiled to reveal yellowing teeth. Some Death Eaters sniggered from Draco's right. "My _darling_ nephew that was to be born to my little sister and the wizard that _I_ was supposed to marry!" she screamed.

Draco chuckled. "You're _barking mad_ to ever think my father would want to be with the likes of _you_!" he yelled, desperately trying to find a way to release Harry. However, his confidence was fast waning as the room had gone ice cold with the Dementors swirling around sucking at every possible scrap of 'happiness' they could find in the room. Draco felt his body stiffen with cold but he was resilient. He _had_ to do something... Harry HAS to get out of there...

"Oooh, like father, like son, a sharp tongue!" she screamed in glaring arousal. "But, sweat pea, just for that, I am going to make sure the Dark Lord kills you off _himself_..." she rambled on, as if they were discussing a business plan. "You see, I managed to get my hands on the Philospher's Stone..." Draco's eyes widened in shock, "and my Lord is now practically INVINCIBLE..." she whisper yelled, thus, robbing Draco of every ounce of hope he ever had held in his chest.

"Thought you could rescue my daft cousin from behind The Veil, now eh? You thought the Lord won't know his enemies if they were in the 'future'?" she said, a look pure evil dancing in her eyes. "Let me see you defend him you silly wizard!" she screeched and blasted him with a curse that could've killed a Hippogriff on the spot...

"Black! Quit playing and do what we were sent here for!" roared a masked Death Eater.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE VEIL, DEATH CHAMBER  
 _02:45 PM_

"...when you first met her," Harry asked, smiling widely, "did you ever guess that she was your _daughter_?!" he grinned, drinking in the gleaming face of his godfather.

Sirius laughed out loud at the question, his face beaming red. "You're not going to _believe_ if I said this," he started, sending Harry a sheepish grin. "Because, the minute I saw her with you, I wished I had a daughter like her, you know?!" he said, laughing even more now. "I saw you and acknowledged that you were _James's_ boy and I felt left out... I had _always_ wanted a girl just like Hermione, smart and beautiful... Just like her mother..." he said, trailing off. "So, yes, on some level I knew she could be my daughter."

"Come with me, Sirius..." Harry suddenly said, his heart aching with hope. "Even if all goes to hell, you'd still get to be with your daughter, with your _Julianne_... Please just come..."

"Harry, I can't... There's no way out of here, not for me at least..." he said. "But you need to return, you can't be here forever, Harry, you have responsibilities... The world _needs_ you... Please tell me you have a way of going back..." he said.

"I do," he sighed, "Draco is waiting for me outside... He has the Resurrection Stone to bring me out... I may need to signal to him..."


	48. The Haden Heirloom

**A/N: Yes. I'm a shitty person. Thanks, though, for being so patient with me... You lot are a WONDERFUL people...**

 _ **Celeste38:**_ **I really hope you don't whack me at the end of this chap... :) And Ron, bless him. I just hope he knows what he's doing :D :P Read on and do review... I quite enjoy reading your observation of the chaps! =) :***

 _ **GenerikGuy814:**_ **Thank you SOOO much, I am over the moon that you liked that chap... Hopefully, you'll like this too... :( Thanks a lot for R &R'ingggg! :) =)**

 **To all the faves and follows: thanks SO much my lovelies! :***

* * *

 **Chapter 47: The Haden Heirloom**

* * *

' _The Dark Lord has risen_...' was the message that burned on the skin of thousands of followers across London.

Word had spread like wildfire and within minutes, the Knights of Walpurgis had joined the ranks of the Death Eaters. An unsuspecting Ministry fell prey to his sudden unannounced rise, thus, shrouding the government in a state of utter and complete frenzy. The sudden break-in into the Department of Mysteries led by Bellatrix had taken the happily holidaying officials by storm and everyone knows that a weak Ministry meant _NO_ authority on the clan of Dementors guarding the prison, causing them to mass-abandon Azkaban and join forces with a more 'powerful' entity. Vampires, werewolves and trolls didn't need asking twice as they answered the call of their Master. ' _The Great March_ ' it was called as innocent Londoners watched thousands and thousands of followers marching through the streets, chanting ' _All hail the Dark Lord... All hail the Dark Lord!_ ' while he, the Heir of Slytherin, watched the spectacle from atop, the ruddy stone clutched tightly in his hand.

 **The Haden Heirloom** —the weapon he had looked for _all_ his life, the weapon unlike _any other_ , the weapon that ideally belonged to _him_ per lineage, the weapon that was the secret to _winning this War_ —was finally _his_ to abuse…

He was finally IMMORTAL. Undefeatable and _invincible_ in _every sense of the word._ He smiled as the sense of accomplishment washed over him making his body reverberate with the rush of Power from the Stone. ' _This War was_ his _to win and there is_ **not a mortal on earth** _that could possibly stop him now!_ ' he thought as his eyes bore into the one house in the middle of the town that was the most important for him from this second on…

...

The place was almost unrecognizable now and looked almost like a tiny piece _straight from Hell._

He had come from nowhere, without any warning and without a care in the world for the peace that had serenaded in the little Muggle town, bringing with him his army. Black, hooded figures had conquered the roads and raided the houses and bombed entire towns into oblivion splaying the streets with the blood of _thousands_ of innocents, women and children alike.

A tell-tale trickle of blood brought her back to reality…

She couldn't believe she was still alive when her eyes managed to open on own their and stare dazedly at the dark room. Her vision was blurry but she didn't mind—she had seen enough to last her a lifetime, she thought as she watched the man menacingly twirling his wand between his fingers.

To be frank, she always knew she was tough, but _this_ tough was beyond her. The pitiful sobs of the little boy crying his eyes out in a corner filled the air as she shakily turned to her right to look at the fallen body of her husband. The brave man had thought he could endure the pain forever and protect his wife— _how grossly mistaken was he?_ she thought as a stubborn tear escaped her eye. She knew her end was near and she didn't care anymore because, despite everything, she had made sure her family's honour was still intact. Many may despise her for her blatant haughtiness but it had been her biggest strength today when her house was broken into and this tall, faceless man ordered her to bend the knee…

She would never bend the knee to anyone, not even to the _Lord of Death_. With pride swelling up in her chest, she shakily looked up to meet him fully in the eye.

"Surrender…" he whispered again, his face brimming with mad joy and excitement as he prepared for yet another ' _NO!_ ' from the woman.

She smiled despite the excruciating pain she was in. "That stone means _nothing_ to me..."

"...Mother, _please_!"

"...Your power... _means nothing to me_ ," she continued, not even sure where this courage was coming from. "Beg as you may..."

"...stand down, Mrs. Black _..._!"

"...but you will _never_ have the Black's allegiance," she concluded.

"N-n-n-no, no, my lord, please, have mercy… _Have mercy_ …" her youngest son pleaded, his face glistening with tears, but the Dark Lord simply flicked him away.

"Regulus…!" Walburga raised an eyebrow. Her voice was calm but her face was burning up with anger. "We... are the _Blacks_ …" she asserted, arrogance oozing from her eyes, "…we _never_ speak to anyone beneath the pure-blood elite…" she smiled with her nose in the air, as her eyes bore triumphantly into those slits that were glaring back at her, shocked beyond measure. She was very happy with the effect her words were having on the cold features of Lord Voldemort for he looked like he'd explode any second.

Regulus's face twitched with anxiety as he stared between his mother and the Lord, desperately trying to pick a side.

Nagini hissed dangerously from her Master's side.

"You are speaking to the _heir of Slytherin_..."

" _No half-blood can be an_ _HEIR OF SLYTHERIN!_ "

Shocked silence.

Peter gaped on stupidly while Regulus was in awe of his mother: never before in his entire life did he think her to be this _badass_!

"Mother!" he pleaded, still staring disbelievingly at her. "Take it back, mother, _take it back_!" he cried, more out of concern for her life than his devotion for the Lord. "The Lord is merciful, _please take that back_!" he sobbed, as desperation and anxiety shot through him like boiling water. He knew it was going to be just a matter of minutes before everything burned to the ground!

But his mother was resilient, as she sat there rocking on her chair, almost challenging Voldemort to hit her with his best shot.

"Peter..." he hissed softly and the timid young boy ran to his Master's side.

"...not him," came Walburga's immediate response. "Anyone but him," she continued, as her angry eyes bore into the petrified ones of Peter. "I will not accept death from a traitor's hand..."

Peter's eyes met hers for a brief second, as he processed her words. Slowly though, as he took in the disgust that exuded from her face, his expression changed from fear to pure savage. "Shut up," he said, looking murderous.

"...I took him in as my own son... He was going to be take over the House of Black after Alphard, a privilege so pure and so rare and yet, here he stands... _like a whipped rat_..."

Peter looked _wrathful_ now, all signs of timidness flown out of the window. "Shut. Up."

But Walburga was unperturbed and relentless. "...A slave..." she whispered, her voice dripping with repulsion.

" _HOW DARE YOU_?! _Avada Kedavra_!"

(The little girl had to do EVERYTHING under her power to not scream out loud in horror as she frightfully backed away from the window and into the darkness... Tears poured down her face as she thought of her dear friend stuck in that room with that monster... She had to rescue him... She couldn't leave him behind... She _wouldn't_!)

 _ **SCREECH!**_...

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
RAVENCLAW TOWER, HOGWARTS  
 _08:02 PM_

The hallways thundered and trembled with the sounds of feet pounding against it as a whole bunch of eager boys and girls thronged outside the Ravenclaw House entrance.

Sirius was feeling an unusual emptiness in his heart but, he just couldn't put a finger on what it was that was bothering him so much. It was a nagging itch at the back of his head, an instinct of some sort, that was telling him that something dreadful is happening somewhere... Either that or he's just being a big drama queen, he shrugged to himself, as a shiver ran down his spine. On the other side, he saw Lucius leaning against the balcony, sporting a rather pained expression on his face. As soon as he caught Andromeda staring at him though, he quickly retreated his eyes away from the blond.

Edgar pounded against the door without a knob or a keyhole. "What the bloody hell are you all doin' in there! Open up, man!" he yelled, as he hammered against the wooden door one more time.

"Go _away_!" came Mavis Pebblesworth's muffled voice from behind the grand wooden entrance. She was Ravenclaw's Head Girl. Quite unfortunately for Ravenclaw, considering they're all going to DIE because of her!

"Shut up, Mavis, this is serious business!" James yelled back in response. "Truth be told, you lot should be ashamed of yourselves! The freaking _Hufflespuff's_ have found their secret chamber _and_ their bloody cup! Just freaking open the door!" he yelled, and banged on the door with single-minded determination of breaking those accursed eggheads!

"Gah!" The door swung open and a flustered-looking Frank threw himself off the threshold.

"It's not there, alright?! It's not there ANYWHERE!" he yelled into Edgar's petrified face. "We've looked everywhere, and I still can't find the bloody tiara!" he said, roughly running his hand through his hair.

" _We_?" drawled Mavis from the door wearing an expression of pure disgust. Clearly, no one helped poor Frank in his search mission, but Sirius was mildly blown away at Frank's _continued_ insistence on making his fellow House-mates look good.

"Come on, Frank, we don't have time for your whining!" yelled James. "I mean, you're a _Ravenclaw_ for Merlin's sake, act like one and find it already!"

"Well, he's clearly more Gryffindor than Ravenclaw for the amount of time he spends with us," Alice joked, staring adoringly at her husband, making him grin sheepishly at her. Suddenly, though, his eyes sparked open, like he's had a revelation of some sort. "But, of course!" he cried. "Merlin's pants me, why didn't I think of _that_ before?!" he exclaimed, looking wonderstruck at the others' faces. "Come on, I think I know where to find this blasted crown!" he said, jumped towards the seventh floor corridor, the others following him closely at his heels.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
SEVENTH FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS  
 _08:10_ _PM_

"...okay, what do I want, what do I want, what do I want... Come on, think it... _Be it_!" Frank chanted to himself as the rest of them just stood there staring dazedly at the lunatic's face. Sirius yawned loudly. " _STOP IT_!" Frank meowed so loudly, Sirius almost half choked on his own yawn.

Stupid jerk.

"The tiara is hidden somewhere..." he mused more to himself, as his brain worked at 200 kmph. "So, I would want a room for hiding it... Where can I find a room for hiding something?" Frank continued to mumble, as his eyes darted from left to right, trying to break the mega science behind this riddle. What he _didn't_ notice, however, was a large outline of an intricately carved door forming itself out of nowhere on the wall behind him. Everyone gasped and cooed in wonder as the features of the door hardened and slowly became more prominent and, lo and behold! The door to their dreams stood before them!

The Room of Requirement. That was the Chamber of Ravenclaw... The room that was open to ALL, the room constructed by the Queen herself, the room that was built on the pillars of Rowena Ravenclaw's beliefs in wisdom and kindness and generosity and...

"WHAT is going ON, here?!" came a sharp voice from behind, collectively cutting short the kids' moment of revelation as everyone jumped up on the spot (and out of their guts too).

McGonagall's angry face came into view and the horror-struck little group of friends immediately started shuffling around for cover from Her Majesty's wrath. Sirius saw James neatly slipping behind him and hiding behind his broad frame, the freaking _twat_!

"I thought I made myself VERY clear when I said all students were to remain INDOORS! How DAFT do you lot have to be to _not_ understand this very simple instruction?!"

"But, Professor..." Remus started, almost asphyxiating at her mere sight.

"Oh, how _wonderful_?! Both the Gryffindor Head Boy _and_ Girl, taking part in this wild ' _oh_ - _let's_ - _run-about-the-corridors-like-mad-baboons-because-we're-so-cool_ ' party with these trouble-makers! And, who, might I ask, is looking after the rest of my House?!" she screeched, making them all visibly jump back in fear.

A tiny, stray ball of parchment came hurtling out of nowhere and noiselessly collided with her long hat. Everyone gasped. Sirius visibly gulped. _Not cool, man, not cool_! he thought to himself, as he cursed his supremely idiotic 'Well-Wisher' friend and braced himself for what was about to follow.

McGonagall stood stalk still, except the look on her face could've put even the mighty Hungarian Horntail to shame.

She flicked her wand and popped the parchment up from the floor and ripped it open.

' _For god's sake, Minerva!_

 _We get it. You're the Head of House and you're impartial and blah-blah, WE GET IT. But just this once, for the sake of Merlin's pants, please butt out. This shit is real and you might soon get to use your most favourite spell * **wink wink** *. _

_Let the kids do their job. And don't worry, they're under MY supervision._

 _\- Signed, I'd rather not tell._ '

She slowly looked up at the little company in front of her, all of whom, she could tell, were almost bursting at the seams to gloat at her. "If I lose even _one_ of you in this 'supposed' war..." she started most ominously, swiftly wiping away the grins on the students' faces, making them stare blankly at her. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Get scuttling then!" she screeched, making them all jump out of their skins once again. "I shall alert the rest of the school, we're going to WAR!" her voice boomed through the corridors, only to receive a roar of appreciation from her students.

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
SEEPWOOD FOREST, OAKENSLEY COUNTRY,  
 _08:37 PM_

He was almost out of breath now as he ran and ran like his life depended on it. The knee-deep water on the thick forest floor was his biggest enemy right now, even bigger than the army of black soul-suckers chasing after him, looking for the _tiniest_ shred of happiness left in his body. He couldn't let them catch him this time because that is practically like _committing suicide_!

 _Run, run, run... Run, Draco, RUN!_ he urged himself despite the excruciating pain in his ribs. He couldn't risk apparating anymore, not in his current state of total and utter panic... It was do or die now for him.

His insides lurched right out of his skin when as he heard the familiar screeching noise from behind and a flutter of robes ominously splaying against the wind. _Fuck!_ he thought to himself, his brain overheating with panic. _They're here, they're here! RUN, Draco!_

On and on he ran, but his legs started to give up almost on their own accord. He was slipping and he knew there was no escaping now... It was over, he cannot afford to lie to himself, not anymore. With his mouth hanging open and with one final bout of courage searing through him, he swung around at the same speed as he was running, and elegantly skidded to halt, splashing water all around him.

He can't run again, not this time... Time to go the 'Gryffindor' way and hold the bull by its _freaking_ _horns_! He glared straight at the sky as the a thick, black cloud of hungry and savage-looking Dementors surrounded him. The trees and the water instantly started to freeze with their mere presence and Draco was nearly losing all sensation in feet now.

A happy memory... All he had to do was think of a happy memory... A slow tear trickled down his face as revelation hit him—he didn't have any happy memories... _Memories not 'happy' enough to destroy these monsters and save himself at least_! As the inevitable and most undeniable truth slowly sank in him, his mind automatically started to race back to all those people that meant dearly to him before he finally succumbed to his own inexorable end. The Dementors started to ripple with glee as they willingly started to swirl around him, taking turns at ripping him out of all hope and joy and everything worth living for!

 _Scorpius... My dear son... I will love you and protect you forever, no matter where I go..._ he thought, as he saw one more MASSIVE Dementor swoop down and shredding his son's memory to pieces.

 _Mother... I love you..._ he cried out aloud as more Dementors ravaged on yet another slice of happiness...

His insides choked and writhed in pain as the Dementors continued to decimate his soul. The slimy touch of the Dementors was everywhere now, in his throat, in his lungs, in his hair, in his heart...

His heart... Hermione... Another tear dropped down his cheek as her face came flashing back as bright as the sun itself...

 _She was smiling, and then she was not. She was now frowning and heading straight towards him. And just as he thought he was going to grossly embarrass himself by falling to his knees and bending to his QUEEN, she threw her hand back and sent a death punch straight to his nose!_

He jerked awake. A slight smile hung on his face despite the _terrible_ screeches of his death sentence swirling above him. No, he was going to die one day, but that day was not _TODAY_!

Gripping his wand tightly in his right hand, he mustered up every ounce of strength he had left in him.

Swinging his hand with all his might, he looked at the nearest Dementor straight in the eye and screamed, " _EXPECTO... PATRONUUUUUUUM!_ "

A MASSIVE dragon burst out of the end of his wand and hurtled into the night as his vision slowly faded into oblivion...

 **DAY 5:** DECEMBER 25, 1976  
ROOM OF REQUIREMENT, HOGWARTS  
 _08:45 PM_

Lucius yawned loudly, as he watched the others almost ransack the old warehouse-like room... Initially, however, he was mildly stunned at the amount of junk this room contained and the sheer size of the hall being provided to merely to house _trash_! Like... Only and ONLY a Ravenclaw could ever think of something like that... _Honestly!_

And even as he sat there admiring his nails and being super useful in his own way, something caught his attention. A sudden _click!_ noise from the back felt nauseatingly alien to the current brouhaha that ensued in the room and he instantly knew this was trouble. Because, although the hall was bustling with the rest of the group tossing and hurling away scraps and trash in search of god-knows-what, this noise _just didn't fit_... Gingerly, he peered over his shoulder and found a queer looking cabinet standing stalk-still in the middle of nowhere. With a slow sense of panic rising in the back of his head, he warily eyed at the cabinet despite beginning to think he was overreacting _just a tad bit_ to this whole thing.

And then it happened. All of a sudden, the door to the cabinet cracked open just little!

Lucius's eyes widened and he was now on _full alert-mode_ as he fearfully watched the cabinet. Despite having SO many people around him, an unusual fear slowly crept up his neck, almost paralysing him in the process. Whatever was in there had surely been in here long before the group entered the room, because he swore he saw no one (or nothing else) enter the room after they did.

His heart pounded hard against his ribs as the door opened slightly more, to reveal the black depths of the cabinet.

His breaths got shorter and shorter as he got ready to tackle whatever was inside when someone bumped into him from behind!

It was James.

"Potter! Potter, there... I..." he stammered, pointing faintly at the cabinet. James swung his head around to see what Lucius was talking about and his expression changed immediately. He seemed to catch on fast. Almost automatically, his hand wound around his wand as he turned back towards Lucius again. "There... There's someone in there, I swear, I heard a click and the door opened... Someone's hiding in there... Someone..."

"Shh, Malfoy, calm down," he muttered, putting a finger to his lips. The others were too far away to alert, so James decided he had to deal with this himself for the time being at least. "Let's go find out who our guest is..."

"Are you mad?! What if... What if it... Merlin, Potter, what if it is Vol—I means, _it could be our enemy_!" he whisper-yelled at James, looking gobsmacked. "Get back here, we need to flee this place AT ONCE!"

"Are you _kidding_ me?" James growled fiercely wearing an incredulous expression on his face. He turned back towards the cabinet and inched closer to it with a confident smirk. "Shut up and give me cover!" he whispered back and boldly inched closer towards the cabinet. Lucius was nearly losing it watching the blooming IDIOT march so foolishly to his own bloody _death_!

His heart was almost convulsing frantically behind his ribs when Lucius realized the door was opening even more now. He could almost _hear_ the hammering in his chest as he saw a pair of fierce-looking eyes in the black depths of the cabinet cautiously searching the surroundings as if making sure if it was alright to get out without being seen. The panic that rose up inside him nearly imploded in his brain when he watched James continue to inch towards the cabinet as if he was happily bounding off towards a freaking ICE-CREAM TRUCK!

Finally the door swung wide open and out stepped— _not_ , Voldemort, _not_ Bellatrix, _not_ even a bloody band of Death Eaters, but—PETER!

James visibly shivered. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes had gone blood-shot as he continued to— _most absurdly_ —prevent reality from sinking in. This was not happening, _not_ to James at least, as he tried coming up with _every possible counter-explanation_ as to WHY Peter was miraculously appearing out of nowhere and trying to escape the scene in this dubious manner. And yet, despite his effort, he found not ONE plausible explanation that justified Peter's behaviour...

He jerked back to reality as he watched Peter slink away from the entrance to the cabinet and preparing to dash towards the exit door in his rat form... And instead of actually going after him, all James did was stand and gape.

Lucius, who had been staring at James, hoping he'd do _something_ (or even _attempt_ to do something!), nearly resisted an urge to roll his eyes before deciding to take matters into his own bloody hands! His instincts took over so quickly that he didn't even have to _think_ of the spell: his wand automatically jetted out a full-body bind curse, promptly resulting in Peter yelping out in surprise.

"Argh! Leave me alone! Let me go, _let me GO_!" he yelled, struggling frantically with the tight ropes around him. Alarmed beyond measure, he swung his head around to see who it was and soon realised it was Lucius. "YOU?! LET ME _OUT_! LET ME OUT, YOU SLIMY BASTARD! LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT, _LET ME OUT_!" he screeched madly. "You don't want my friends to come and WHUP you arse now, do you, DO YOU Malfoy, _DO YOU_?!"

"Shut up, Peter..." said James, from behind him, his face twisted from being slammed by feverish waves of utter and complete betrayal.

"James! You're here! _You're here_! Mate, help me! HELP ME, James, please... He's tied me up, this two-faced son of a bi**h!"

"Prongs?!" came Remus's voice from behind. James and Lucius turned around to see Remus and Claiborne watching the three boys curiously while the others were slowly starting to gather around as well.

"Peter! Mate, where _were_ you, we've been looking for you everywhere!" Remus scolded, as he swiftly walking up to his friend, his features etched with concern.

"Moony, stop," James ordered, making Remus instantly stop dead in his tracks; he knew that tone of James all too well... James turned around and found Frank standing right behind him. "What's the scene on that crown?" he asked quietly. Frank shrugged innocently and merely raised his hand to show James the brilliant silver and blue diadem clutched between his fingers. "Awesome. Mate, I hate to have to do this, but this is getting a bit personal. D'you mind gathering the rest and preparing them for what's coming, while we deal with this...?" he asked, pointing at a petrified-looking Peter.

"Sure, mate," came Frank's immediate response. "I'm taking Alice with me, though," he said, flashing a boyish grin. Giving Peter an uncertain, yet curt nod, he fled the place, gathering with him the other JA members out of the hall.

"James, _what are you doing_?! Are you actually going to have me tied up like this...?!"

Gulping nervously, Sirius broke off from the outer-ring of onlookers. "...What's the matter, James?" Sirius asked quietly, as Isabella and Lily hurriedly joined him from behind.

The expression that James graced Sirius with could've easily won the 'World's Best " _You Too, Brutus?!_ " Look Ever!' contest and Sirius braced himself for good measure. _He knows. How does he always KNOW?!_

"...can somebody stop staring and just UNTIE me already!"

Cocking an eyebrow, he now to turned fully to face Sirius. "You seem unperturbed..." came James's ominously grim voice.

"...I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING! Moony, _please let me out_...!"

Ignoring Peter's incessant racket in the background, Sirius nodded, his stomach eating itself in anxiety. If there's one thing that everyone knows about James, it's that, he's a FIERCE friend who'd be ready to go to HELL and come back for the ones he loves... But once betrayed, James can be your _worst_ nightmare.

"What do you know, Pads?" Remus asked, his voice dripping with shock, fear, concern and suspicion all rolled into one.

" _Honestly, Moony_?! Isn't ANYONE going to ask _ME_ for an explanation?!"

"I should've told you two," Sirius rasped nervously. "As soon as I heard it, I should've told you two... But, how could I when I couldn't believe it myself?" he pleaded.

Everything went quiet while James, Remus and Sirius shared a _blood-curdlingly_ tense moment. Even Peter had quietened down. The girls seemed to have no clue what was going on while the boys, all held their breaths as revelation seemed to hit them by waves. Lucius, by far was the only unaffected party in all this drama.

"Why couldn't you believe it...?" someone suddenly spoke up, making everyone jump. Lucius looked to his right and realized it was Peter who'd said those words. "Answer me, Sirius," Peter continued, suddenly looking all savage and fierce beyond belief.

"What do you mean?" said Sirius, his expression devoid of ALL emotion.

"Why couldn't you believe what you heard...?" Peter repeated, and his eyes sparkled with rising confidence. "Who did you hear it from?" he continued, and raised an eyebrow, making it impossible to fault him.

"Wh—what does it matter now, Wormy?" Sirius asked curiously. "Don't you think it's time you simply admitted... to everything?" he asked, clenching his jaw as Lucius words echoed back in his mind. "Or are you going to take the cowardly route?" he challenged him.

"Cowardly or not, we'll get to me soon enough..." he said, oddly sounding mighty calm before his tone took complete U-turn. He looked Sirius straight in the eye and hissed, "But are _you_ man enough to face my questions?" Peter spat out. Something about the way Peter was staring at Sirius seemed to instantly change the mood in the room from 'confrontational' to _downright sinister_... His face was now oozing with so much hate and _so much_ confidence that Sirius almost shuddered with fright. And even as he was drowning in confusion, he felt compelled to grace Lucius with an interrogatory glance which earned him an uncertain shrug from his nemesis-turned-friend(...- _ish_ -sort-of-an-'acquaintance'-person-guy-?).

* _FOCUS!_ *

Grimly raising his eyebrow at the challenge, Sirius squared his shoulders and rose to his full height. "You want to try me?" he asked, clenching his fist into a tight ball. "Fine. _Lucius_ told me," he said, and crossed his arms across his chest.

" _Lucius_ , huh?" Peter smiled and glanced back towards James and Remus who watching intently. "And er... How _long_ have you and _Lucius_ been friends now?" he bit and pretended to be itching with curiosity.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "A couple of hours now, why?"

"Oh, just curious. And uh, exactly WHAT did _Lucius_ tell you about me?"

James turned towards Sirius with his hand over his mouth. "Sirius?" he simply said.

Sirius shook his head disbelievingly. "That you're a foul, lying little son of a _bi*ch_!" he spat out glncing back at Peter, anger rising up through his veins. "That you've been double-crossing us the WHOLE bloody time! That you were Bellatrix's confidante! That you fu**ing obeyed her orders to swap my mother's ring with a bloody FAKE look-alike and _STAB US FROM THE BACK_!" he yelled, barely being able to control his boiling rage.

Interestingly though, Peter didn't squirm or stutter guiltily. He _laughed_. Sirius was really losing patience now and was THIS close to ramming his fist into Peter's slimy face. Peter shook his head and looked up, still grinning. "Right, of course he told you that! He told you that I took _Bellatrix's_ orders to swap the Black Family's _heirloom_ , YOUR mother's ring, a woman I considered—and _worshiped_ even—as my own mother, to swap the original with a _fake..._?! And what was ANYONE going to benefit from that exercise, pray tell?!"

"Peter!" exclaimed Lucius, shocked at how this was all turning out suddenly. "You and I both know the truth, so don't you dare deny _any_ part of this..." he hissed dangerously but it had NO effect whatsoever on Peter. Peter merely smirked in his direction.

"It's funny how you and my friend here both liked the same girl, is it not, Malfoy?" Peter asked, his eyes sparkling with glee. He turned towards Sirius now. "And you'd rather believe HIM when he tells you that _I_ was hell-bent on breaking off YOUR engagement with Izzy..." he whispered, making both Sirius and Lucius gape in astonishment.

It was now Remus's turn to gaze dazedly at Sirius. "Pads...?" he said quietly, the nervousness more than evident in his voice.

Sirius felt his insides suddenly clench with doubt and guilt as Peter's words slowly sunk into him... Could it be...? Was he really that stupid...? Or was he simply naive? Or is he stupid to believe Peter and not Lucius...? What the Mother-Eff is GOING ON?!

Lucius, who too had been gobsmacked beyond expression to even know how to react to all this, soon realized Sirius's current predicament. "Mate, honestly...?" he started, feeling more nervous than necessary. "I may be a lot of things, but a cheap, insecure LUNATIC isn't one of them..." he breathed, hoping and praying that he was getting through to him. "You've got to believe me, Sirius, please..." he almost pleaded, but Sirius was lost beyond reach in self-doubt.

"Why? Give me one good reason... Why did you suddenly feel the need to come to aid and get all chummy, Lucius? You and I, we've never really seen eye to eye and yet, you just miraculously decided to put it all in the past?!" asked Sirius, not even realizing that his voice was raising with ever word he uttered.

Lucius huffed loudly. "Well, I reckon, I am just mature that way!," he snapped back, his face burning up instantly.

"Right, and that's why you kissed MY girlfriend and messed up my WHOLE BLOODY LIFE?!" Sirius's voice thundered around the room.

"Oh, and... Pads, while we're on the subject," said Peter, sporting the most devilish grin Lucius had ever seen on a human. "And this is simply to prove to you who the real enemy here is," he drawled on, winking stupidly at Lucius. "Care to show us what's underneath that long sleeve, Malfoy...?"

Lucius almost felt his breath get knocked out of his lungs as everyone turned to look at him this time. Sirius, James and Remus looked murderous now as they hung on to Peter's request.

"Lucius...?" said Isabella is her smallest of voices.

It went through him like a stab to his heart. Pressing his eyes shut, he braced himself for the worst as he, most fearlessly, pulled his sleeve back to reveal the Dark Mark...

Check and Mate.


	49. The Sword of Gryffindor

**A/N: IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - The story of this book will soon changed from "Sirius Black: The Real Hero" to "Harry Potter: A Marauder's Tale". Reasons for the change are several and, as many of you would agree with me, the former title doesn't really make sense anymore (plus I like the sound of this one waayyy better).**

 _ **Celeste38:**_ **I soooo look forward to know what you thought of this chap cos I think it answers several of your questions. :) :D Can't wait to read your next reviewww! =)**

 **Follows & Faves: For those of you who are still sticking with this story (and me), I just want to say MANY THANKS for not giving up on this story... You guys are the BEST! (it would also be great if I know WHAT you guys think of this story, so please R&R :))**

* * *

 **Chapter 49: The Sword of Gryffindor**

* * *

Day 5: 25 DECEMBER, 1976  
MINISTER'S CABIN, MINISTRY OF MAGIC  
10:32 PM

The hullabaloo that ensued behind the thick, wooden, double-doors was putting her on edge as she waited for yet another frantic caller to come crashing into her fireplace and report YET another incident that is bringing London to its knees. Biting the edge of her quill, she thought back to the hour when Auror Randax had blasted into her house's fireplace and announced the return of the Dark Lord. She remembered just how gobsmacked she had been and how her carefully laid out plan was crumbling like a house of cards right in front of her eyes...

Everything after that had been a blur; she didn't even know how Orpheus had managed to intimate so many officials so quickly because, before she knew it, the Ministry was teeming with perplexed-looking Magic Officials and Aurors and Goblins... even _clerks_!

She closed her eyes to control the anger mounting inside of her... Orpheus had warned her multiple times to NOT count on a Death Eater's promise, but she had taken the chance anyway. She had taken the chance with immense confidence and formed a 'Truce' with the Dark Side under very SPECIFIC conditions and hence, whatever is happening right now SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT ALL!

"Orpheus!" she barked.

The door to her side burst open and in stumbled her frazzled-looking, toothless (and completely USELESS!) assistant carrying a heap of letters in his hands. Still struggling under the weight of the hundred or so parchments, he approached the Minister's desk, strewing the floor with Howlers.

"Yes, Madam Bagnold!" he squeaked. "A-a-at your service, Minister..."

"What is all this?!"

"Oh er... L-letters, Minister. Letters and a couple of Howlers about how the... the M-Ministry isn't doing anything about the... the Dark Lord situation," he gulped in a ton of air as if getting these words out itself was a Herculean task. "There appears to be riots and... and uprisings all over London, Minister. The general public are r-r-r-ising up against the D-dark forces. Houses are burning down to the ground, children dying, b-b-bloodshed everywhere... We're drowning..." he whimpered, as a cold sweat trickled down the side of his face.

Bagnold's breaths got heavier as the full weight of the situation finally fell on her. At this rate, she could be replaced as Minister for Magic in the blink of an eye! Shakily tucking her hair behind her ear, she spoke in her most calm voice. "Did you send the notice out?!"

"Yes, Minister! The c-c-council invite has indeed been sent out to all the delegates! More than an hour ago, actually! I-i-it's been scheduled to take place at midnight today... D-D-D-Dumbledore's invite was d-declined, but Milliputh, Diggle, Knatchbull, Traviss, Bones, Mormonte, Nigellus, Spartha and... and... oh, and Malfoy and Bagshot h-h-h-have... have..." he stopped mid-sentence.

Bagnold looked she was about to explode any second!

"Not THAT, you idiot, did you owl BLACK?!" she screamed right into Orpheus's face.

Orpheus almost melted on the spot in fear. "Yes, Minister..." he said, as his knees wobbled uncontrollably. "And she s-s-sent this back..." he said, and pulled out a tiny circular parchment and handed it over to the Minister.

Before she even opened the parchment, she knew she was not going to like what she was about to see. Already enraged beyond measure, she ripped it open and gasped; there, hissing back at her, was the drawing of the ugly head of the snake, curled up to form the Dark Mark. It was almost as if the snake was mocking her.

"NOOOO!" she screamed and before she could control herself, she had pulled her wand out and blasted the the piece of parchment with curses and hexes as if that was going to make it all go away. "This can't be HAPPENING!" she screamed again and threw yet another blasted curse at the walls as her frustrations peaked.

 _CRACK!_ came a sound that froze her in place.

Silence.

"...One does not disrespect the Dark Mark so blatantly..." said a cool voice from behind Bagnold. "If they wished to live at least!" it added, a little more fiercely this time.

Bagnold did not need to turn around to know who it was. She squared her shoulders and spoke slowly despite the pent up anger rising up inside of her. "The Ministry had great respect for the Dark Mark," she rasped, her eyebrows raised ominously in her face, "but that was only because the Lord kept to the Code. Of. The Truce!" she hissed and turned around to look upon the ugly face of Bellatrix Black.

Bellatrix grinned, baring her ghastly front teeth that looked like fangs. "And now the terms have changed!" Bellatrix chimed in her irritatingly chirpy voice. "It's time the Ministry bowed down to the Lord!"

"The terms are NON-NEGOTIABLE!" Bagnold screamed and took swift steps towards Bellatrix to tower above her. "The Truce was formed ONLY to eliminate Williams so that the clans of Light and the Dark won't be threatened in ANY WAY! The Truce was ONLY TO ELIMINATE OUR COMMON ENEMY!" she screamed, making her face turn a deep shade of red. "At NO point, however, was the Ministry going 'aid' the Lord in his rise to power, neither was it going to BOW DOWN to his troops!" she said, glaring wickedly at Bellatrix's stone cold face. "Yes! The Lord IS and will ALWAYS be an enemy of the confederation! Our war," she said pointing at herself and Bellatrix, "was NEVER going to end because of the Truce..." she hissed at the slowly hardening face of her adversary.

Though Bellatrix was only all of seventeen years old, something about her made her seem much, much older... She was never a child—she was born a woman; a woman who thirsted for power, who longed to be led. Taking a step closer towards Bagnold, she spoke in her most 'take-it-or-leave-it' voice. "The way I see it, you have one of two choices, Minister. You could either go back to pretending to run this rotting empire of yours and hold on to your precious position, or open your doors for the Death Eaters to rule the wizarding world right from here inside this room!" she whispered and broke into a wicked smile. "Also, aren't you a half-blood...?" she whispered, sending out her most ominous threat ever. Bagnold's eyes widened in shock as Bellatrix smirked as if to confirm that her threat to Bagnold's own life was real. "Take your pick, missy..." she smiled and licked her lips maliciously.

She was about to turn around and disapparate when Bagnold spoke again.

"Why were you in the Department of Mysteries earlier today...?" Her voice shook violently, much to her own disgust.

"To kill Harry Potter..." were the words that came out her mouth.

" _Who_?!" Bagnold demanded, feeling sheer disgust and hate for the girl in front of her.

"Nobody..." Balltrix sang, twirling her hair between her fingers. "Anyway, since he couldn't get out of that blasted Veil quickly enough, I chased my unborn nephew into the depths of hell itself until he finally... DIED!" she cackled with and disapparated before Bagnold could even process what she had said.

DAY 5: DECEMBER 25, 1976  
SEEPWOOD FOREST, OAKENSLEY COUNTRY / THE VEIL  
011:05 PM

It felt like all his emotions had just evaporated away as he stood staring into the cold, almost lifeless face of Draco. Draco lay motionless at the bottom of the forest bed, swimming in the pool of water, as moonlight glistened on his face. And even as Harry watched him from the 'other side' with a only thin filament of matter separating him from his 'actual world', his mind raced, adamant about coming to terms with the reality just yet.

Was he really...? But... Draco was living and breathing and running away and be being brave just a second ago... How could he just give up now...? WHY did he have to come so far and... and just go away so quickly... To go away forever, without even a grand exit... That's what he is, isn't he? A big show-off who always needs to turn heads wherever he went! Why did he jump out of character RIGHT when he needed to be that git that he always was...? And... And, why does this all feel like it's my fault—again?

This can't be happening... It cannot... It shouldn't... How could he have let this happen...?! Where did he go wrong...?

His mind kept shooting questions at him but he was too numb to even move a finger.

"Harry?" said a soft voice beside him, but he wasn't ready to respond just yet. He was back to where he had started ALL OVER AGAIN. The fight, the fear, the struggle, the pain, the guilt—the whole schmear! His head swam a little but his eyes never left Draco...

Sirius and Harry were still on the 'other side' or the 'in-between' watching their world through reflections. Where there's water, where there's a mirror, where's there even a tiny drop of dew on a blade of grass, there exist two alternative worlds: the 'real world' where people are living and breathing and running and dreaming. And then there was the 'in-between' where there's neither light or darkness, neither life nor death. In other words, it's rather better to be DEAD than to barely exist and watch your close ones hurt and suffer right in front of your eyes and you not being able to do jack about it!

"I want to get out of here..." Harry finally spoke, looking desperately into Sirius's helpless face. "You were right. I should never come here," he whispered, his voice coming out in rags. "This was a mistake, I... How could I... I need to get out, Sirius... Help me?" he begged.

Sirius didn't say anything and just stared on helplessly at his godson's face. The pain that Sirius was going through as he watched Harry suffer internally was almost inexplicable. Harry may be a lot older now and much closer to his own age, but to Sirius he will always be that scared little boy without a mum or dad, alone and helpless with no one to lean on. And to think he grew up in that dump of a place with people who weren't his 'real' family for most of his childhood! A painful lump rose up in his throat but he shook it off; he cannot afford to get emotional, not now. He had to be strong for Harry now more than ever. It almost felt like Sirius was finally given a chance to fulfill his duty as a godfather...

"I won't let you down, Harry, I can't..." he said, barely managing to keep a steady voice. "Do you trust me?" he asked, looking into harry's lifeless face.

Harry nodded robotically, bereft of all emotions.

Smiling sadly to himself, Sirius put his hand out. "Then come with me..."

DAY 5: DECEMBER 25, 1976  
DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
011:05 PM

He was lying on the couch, counting his final minutes in this realm.

"All good things come to an end, don't they, Fawkes?" he muttered tiredly, despite being fully aware that bedlam was breaking loose outside his door in his castle right this second. Students had already started receiving letters from all over the country, informing them of the death of friends and relatives. Parents where stricken with fear and begged their children to remain locked in their dorms, for 'no place on the planet was safer than Hogwarts'. On the contrary, though, the students INSIDE Hogwarts knew that this piece of fact was not true because, for Hogwarts to be the safest place of earth, they needed Dumbledore, and he was nowhere to be seen. And Dumbledore knew fully well that the situation will soon snowball out of control as the time for War draws near but somehow he was at peace as his mind wandered off to Ron. As long as Ron was out there, alive and kicking butt, he had nothing to fear...

"At the end it is Ron to the rescue! Who would've thought, eh Fawkes?" he chuckled lightly, and immediately ended up having a fit of cough that burned the insides of throat and lungs. He didn't expect his end to come so quickly... Hell, now he would never be able to see Harry come to Hogwarts as that innocent eleven-year-old boy looking up at the castle in awe. For a fleeting second his eyes burned with tears. "This is how it should be..." he coughed to himself, determined to cut himself of all feelings and attachments. "You knew the game and took the gamble. It is showtime now..." he whispered, hoping and praying that his heart would forgive him for doing this to himself. "Let it all go..." he murmured as the pain in his chest finally eased a little.

Fawkes, Dumbledore suddenly noticed, was (most uncharacteristically) not paying him any attention and kept pecking at his feet as if in a state of agitation.

"What's the matter, Fawkes?"

Fawkes cawed loudly and shook his head. He seemed very fidgety and mildly uncomfortable. "Need to be somewhere, dear boy?" Dumbledore asked, knowing immediately well that something important needed Fawkes's attention. "Go on, then. Do what you have to do, but don't be late, Fawkes." He smiled.

DAY 5: DECEMBER 25, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
011:05 PM

"...but... but I have NOTHING to do with him...!" he had pleaded. "Please, please, please you have got to believe me... I'm not on his side! Professor...!" he had screamed, begging to be believed, but McGonagall had merely slammed the gates on his face wearing an uncomfortably pained, yet determined expression. And for a fleeting second he had glanced in their direction. The sheer helplessness that hung in those dirty green orbs that stared back at them will haunt them all forever as they reluctantly turned their backs on him.

They called themselves "James's Army" and they wreaked havoc wherever they went.

They were still in Hogwarts, but it no longer felt like the inside of a 'school' where children went to learn Magic; it was like the inside of a refugee camp! After Lucius was caught in the Room of Requirement, a frenzy broke out in the school when the Gryffindor boys had sounded the alarm and alerted McGonagall, their Deputy Headmistress and active Order member. And McGonagall, being the rockstar that she was, had ensured that she had personally visited every professor's dorm chamber and caused a storm by declaring an ambush search mission of ALL the students in every House to find more 'undercover' Death Eaters. 'We need to fight this war inside-out!' she had roared and locked Lucius up in one of the rooms in the Astronomy Tower where he would neither be able to disapparate out of nor use magic to escape, leaving Sirius feeling both pumped and nervous, because this mission suddenly seemed both right AND wrong all at the same...

And now, here they were, 'fighting the War inside-out' by checking every student, every teacher and every elf—even the half-giant (Hagrid). The noise in the hall was deafening. Everyone had to yell at each other to make themselves be heard as students from every House frantically thronged the Great Hall, terrified of being caught or even 'suspected' to be on the Dark Side, while the newly recruited Auror members combed through the student population most meticulously.

The most interesting part of it all, however, was the expression on the students' faces that Sirius checked and interrogated. One thing was clear: they hated him. They HATED the fact that they were being suspected and checked in this fashion and they hated the fact that these were the same boys and girls that they had admired and adored even until two HOURS ago.

This had to stop. This madness has GOT to stop!

Sirius looked deep into the blank, blue-green eyes of the young fourth-year student from his House, nervousness almost choking him. "You do know that we're on the side of the 'good' and that... and that all this," Sirius said, gesturing to the chaos that ensued behind him, "is only so that we're doubly sure there are no threats INSIDE the school itself, don't you?" he asked, saying a silent prayer to himself.

The boy smirked. "And I suppose you want to hear good news now, don't you, Black?" said Lovegood, his face oozing with fearlessness. Sirius's stomach did an uncomfortable jolt as the words crashed into him in waves. "The Seer had called today 'The Long Night,'" Lovegood continued.

"Goddammit..." Sirius muttered and threw his hands up in the air in total frustration before he could even stop himself.

The whole school knew that this kid was a special kind of looney pants and it ought to take a special kind of SKILL to land oneself in this situation as Sirius has done to himself right now. Sirius was about to stop the guy and dismiss him off before he spoke again. "They had predicted that the Christmas of '76 will be the longest day in Wizarding history. No one would sleep as every man, woman and child would await their own death on this day... An epic battle would break out shortly after the stroke of the midnight hour..." he continued speaking as if in a state of trance, making it that much more painful for Sirius to endure this verbal torture from this... this... Oh dear god!

"Yes, yes, thank you, thank you, very much for being so patient with us, Lovegood, you have done well... You're clear, you may go... NEXT!" he roared, as a timid-looking second-year girl hurriedly stepped forward from behind Lovegood.

"You're not understanding how big this is, Black. Forces from the past... the present... AND the future will converge to fight a common enemy... tonight," Lovegood spoke, as if he hadn't heard a word of what Sirius had said, and right that second, Sirius stopped what he was doing and slowly turned towards starry-eyed face of his junior. "And to fight HIM, you're going to need an army... But looking at how you're treating your own allies," he said jerking towards the hue and cry behind him, "Continue on at this rate and I doubt that you will have a handful of people fighting for your cause..." he said, and his words struck Sirius like pins and needles to this throat. He froze in place and gawked in the young boy's direction, mutely demanding for an explanation. "You're going to need every students' support in this War, Black, and yet, here you are, making us all feel scared and inferior to you lot," he said, this time gesturing towards the other aggressive Aurors who were nearly terrorizing everyone around them. "So when the Night does fall, and when He does arrive, how are you going to fight him off?"

Sirius's mind had never been so alive and fired up as it was now as he processed every word that Lovegood uttered.

"There are some blibbering humdingers near your pocket, by the way," Lovegood said, cutting into Sirius's thoughts.

"Some what?"

"They go after danger, these little creatures, you know. You might want to check what that danger is inside your pocket..." And with that, he was off, to sit by his only other friend at the Gryffindor table.

Baffled beyond words, Sirius quickly shoved his hands into his pockets to find the Marauder's Map. A ripple of shock struck him as he thought of all possible dangers that could be crawling up the castle. With a shaky hand, he ripped the map open and scanned through it even as his heart raced in his chest. Whether deliberately otherwise, his eyes refused to scan the little nook and crannies of the map and continued to be satisfied at the fact that ALL the students were right where they have to be: in the Great Hall. ALL the students were right here! There is nothing to be afraid of, is there? he asked himself even as three tiny little dots caught his attention at the edge of the map moving towards the castle.

Lovegood was right: Danger indeed was here for ALL three names on these little dots were incredibly important to Sirius in particular.

A shudder ran down his spine. Without thinking, he sprang up on his feet and dashed towards the other end of the hall where Isabella was sitting behind her own interrogator's desk. She looked up startled beyond belief at the speed at which Sirius was approaching her and was about to open her mouth to ask what was going on, but Sirius didn't have time. He grabbed hold of her hand and dragged her towards the entrance of the Great Hall, running at break-neck speed.

On his way out, however, Sirius miraculously found time to yell out a, "Mate, we have a Code Red situation! Hold the fort down here while we deal with this shit!" to a startled James, but James didn't need telling twice. With an eager thumbs-up in his direction, Sirius was convinced that the students were in safe hands [Ron grabbed a tattered old and crumpled hat on his way out with Hermione at his heels].

"Sirius, where are we GOING?!" Isabella asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. Ron and Hermione hurtled noiselessly after them as well.

"Third floor corridor..." Sirius panted but didn't stop running, Isabella's hand held tightly in his.

"Why?"

"Just shut up!" he snapped back.

Nervously glancing down at the map, Sirius led Isabella up the winding staircase to the third floor corridor. They were getting close!

"Get your wand out, Izzy!" he yelled and let go of her hand as he sped past her like a bullet, beckoning to her to follow him. Sensing the urgency in his voice, Isabella got down to business too and fired after him. The two were running like maniacs now as the third floor corridor drew closer and closer to them. And just as they were about to hit the landing of the corridor, the hump on the statue of the one-eyed witch flew open and three people, two twelve-year old children and one fifteen-year old boy, jumped out, waiting to make a dash for it.

Isabella froze in shock at the sight in front of her but Sirius didn't care. With a final spurt of adrenaline, he bulleted his way towards the three intruders and jumped up on the oldest boy, making him crash to the floor. Still struggling under Sirius, Regulus tried to wrench himself from his brother's death grip, but Sirius was too strong for him.

"What are you DOING here?!" Sirius bellowed, pinning his brother to the ground by his throat. Anger and resentment shot up to his face, making him angry enough to kill his brother right here!

"Sirius, le.. let go of me, I... I have to tell you so..."

"NO! Answer me first..."

"Sirius, it's IMPORTANT..."

"Sirius, let him go, let him gooo!" came a shrill voice from his side, but he ignored her.

"What do you want now, Regulus? Haven't you done ENOUGH?! Why are you here?! ANSWER ME!"

"Izzy, TELL him!" the girl screamed at Isabella from under her embrace. Isabella, though, was merely dazed beyond expression as she held on to the little girl as if shielding her from the jaws of Death itself.

"Why is she here?" Sirius asked a now red-almost-to-the-point-of-choking-to-death Regulus. "What the _fuck_ is Angie doing here?!" he asked, strangling him even more now. "And WHY does the map say that that BOY is SEVERUS SNAPE?!" Sirius yelled, heaving out his wand and pointing it at the innocent face of the young boy standing next to him.

Isabella seemed to have been shaken awake as well as she heard Snape's name and quickly yanked out her own wand as determination washed down her face.

"Yes, very impressive," the boy spoke, sounding oddly far too mature for his age. "You live up to your House's expectations alright, but sadly you're overdoing it, Black," he drawled on with a bored expression, making Sirius and Isabella twist their wands into shooting positions even more. "Now, before you choke your own brother to death, I'd like to declare my allegiance; I am on YOUR side..." the little boy smiled humourlessly, locking eyes with Sirius.

"Why should I believe you?" Sirius muttered, making him sound more dangerous than ever.

"Because if not for me, your brother and her sister would be long dead by now..." he uttered simply and smirked coldly. "Oh and... this may come as a shock, but, both your parents... are... are dead," he sighed. "I couldn't protect them. I tried to, but then if I had revealed my true identity, I risked losing Regulus and little Angela here," the boy said.

"What did you just say?!" Isabella snapped at him.

Snape's hair was finally starting to change from pale brown to jet black now. "It's tragic, I know," he replied, completely devoid of emotion. "Pull yourself together though, we cannot afford to fall apart now..."

"No, STOP IT! What... What are you _saying_ , Snape?!" Isabella demanded, even as waves and waves of shock crashed into her. Sirius, on the other hand, was too shocked to process what Severus had just said.

"Angie, wh-what is he saying...?" Isabella's voice was shook uncontrollably despite her brave attempts to act strong.

"Bad people came to our town, Izzy," said Angela, her face tear-stained. "Black, hooded people came and killed everyone and burned everything... They came to our house as well and killed both mum and dad right in front of my eyes..." she sniffed, but her face was emotionless as if the shock had still not worn off.

"WHAT?!" Isabella yelped as she stared down at her sister. "No, no, no, no, this can't be happening, this is not happening, _please_ tell me this is not actually happening..." she whimpered, as tears rolled down her cheeks. "They can't be gone, it's not true, it's not... they haven't done a THING, why are they dead?!" she cried out, completely breaking down now.

"Izzy, don't, I'm here, I'm still here, I'll take care of you," said Angela, sounding a lot older for her age.

Isabella sniffed apologetically. "Honestly, how did _you_ survive?" she asked.

"I don't know... I was so angry..." she said as fresh set of tears poured down her cheeks. "I was SO angry that they took mum and dad away from me and... I don't know, something came over me and I... I screamed. I screamed and screamed and screamed so much that... Everything around me started to break and shatter and... and I wanted to do bad things to the men too and I... I did..." she wept and looked up helplessly at her big sister. "I made them hurt... I wanted to stop but I couldn't... I had no control over anything as I continued to scream and make them suffer until they finally bled to _death_..." she whispered as a shudder ran down her spine. "I am such a bad person..." she cried.

"Of course not, silly..."

"But I AM! I am a HORRIBLE human being, I am _dangerous_!" she cried and hugged her sister tight. "Please don't leave me alone, Izzy, I am scared..."

Isabella's stared disbelievingly towards Severus for answers as tears pooled around her corners of her eyes. "How's this possible? She's not a witch..."

He hesitated at first and shifted uncomfortably before responding. "No, but she's a partial Obscurus..." he said, making both Sirius and Isabella gape blankly at him this time. "Her Magic had been suppressed inside of her for too long and... and is gushing out all at once now... most uncontrollably," he said only to make Isabella feel more awestruck. "But, she... She's _powerful_ ," Snape added quickly. "She's mighty powerful, she's almost gold..." he spoke, even as his features slowly remodified to look like his old self again.

Sirius jumped up to his feet, his face still marred with disbelief at what he had just heard.

"Alright, fine, moving on..." he spoke trying to keep his voice as emotionless as possible even though his hands shook uncontrollably.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Regulus yelled, sounding shocked beyond belief.

"Not now, Regulus," he said, brushing his brother aside.

"Sirius, honestly, you JUST heard about your _parents_..."

"No, Izzy, there's no time for that!" he snapped back a little more harshly than he had intended. "There's no time to cry about the dead, because we have things to do! We still have a War coming, we are going to lose MORE people if we lose focus NOW, so can we please just not... _I need you_ , _Izzy..._ I can't do this without you..." he croaked out, almost begging her to see the light. "Right now more than ever..." he whimpered, fighting back his sorrow. "So... Can we please not do this right now?" he said, his voice shaking from suppressed emotions. "Please walk with me till the end, we have to do this together, we're the _Cursed Pair_ , for god's sake!" he spluttered out. He bit his lip stop himself from having a complete meltdown.

For a split second Isabella and Sirius stared on helplessly at each other, sharing identical emotions and feelings, both having lost their parents on the same day. Swallowing down her own grief, Isabella nodded and surprised even Sirius when she spoke up. "Alright, fine. You're right, now's not the time to... to miss your mum 'cause we have a war to fight," she sniffed, as several buckets of water rolled down from her eyes.

"Blimey, Izzy, that is NOT what I'm saying..."

"No, you're right..." she sniffed again as she picked up her wand one more time and wiped her face. "No, you're right, we need to focus. Regulus, take Angela to a safe place and both of you _remain hidden until we come and find you_. If any of James's boys find you, they'd stop at NOTHING until you're locked up!"

Turning towards Severus she said, "Snape, you and I need to figure out how to flip our worlds back to what it was!" her voice still coming in rags. "As per the note, this 'well-wisher' person seems to know what to do to turn our worlds upside down again, and that means we need to get this done before Voldemort gets here! And you," she said turning towards Sirius, "I need you for moral support, so you're coming with US!" she declared.

[Behind the pillar where Ron and Hermione stood hidden in the shadows, a glint of light suddenly lit up the place for a split second and the noise that followed it sounded more like a silver scraping through a rocky surface. Ron smirked as he looked down at the tattered hat and saw the edge of a brilliant sword sticking out through the fabric: the Sword of Gryffindor has finally arrived—again...]


	50. The Long Night

**A/N: It's 2.40 AM here... Hope you enjoy this one. Goodnight all you lovely people... P.S. Title will be changed to Harry Potter: A Marauder's Tale effective from tomorrow (18-Mar-2018)**

 ** _Celeste38:_ I'm afraid, you still may have to wait just a tad bit more to get your "worlds-flipping thing" question answered :) Also, I am sure you especially are going to like this chapter a LOT... :) Can't wait to read your review! :)**

 **At all the Follows and Faves: Thanks a lot for believing in this story and for sticking with me for so long... I owe you all a LOT! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 50: The Long Night**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
ASTRONOMY TOWER, HOGWARTS  
12:01 AM

He had been locked up in this tower for more than an hour now, but his anxiety had not diminished even a little bit. In fact, his head was _exploding_ at the thought that he was _not_ a part of all this chaos, that... that he was not witnessing the sheer MADNESS that was taking place in the rest of the world while he sat here, being locked up in the loneliest part of the castle. The rustling of the trees and the light wind blowing through the bars and the false sense of peace that he was experiencing at the moment only managed to choke him even more!

He stared long at the sky and his eyes fell on a particularly bright star in the blue-black expanse. It looked like it was moving but, on some level, he was also certain that it might seem that way to him only because he was slowly descending into _mental retardation_...

 _God, I hope you're safe_ , he thought to himself as his mind wandered off towards Isabella. _Oh, who am I kidding, this is_ Bella _! The girl hates that word! Of course, she's not safe!_ he ground his teeth as a fresh bout panic shot up through his spine making him jump up to his feet and prowl on the wooden floor. Desperation peaked, followed by claustrophobia that was fast getting out of control.

"Oh my god, get me out, get me OUT!" he screamed, as he gripped the iron bars and foolishly tried to wrench it open. It was as if the heavens had finally heard him because, only an instant later, he heard voices approaching. Happiness gushed in his chest as he recognized one of the voices.

"...I mean, WHAT sort of a ' _school_ ' is this?! Who runs a school like a blooming _gorilla enclosure_?!" Abraxas spat out, as Lucius heard him storming up the stairs to his tower. "And to think they locked up my son! MY SON! Oh, I cannot _wait_ to get my hands on that Potter boy!"

"It's remarkable how, even in these grave times, you care about the substandard quality of life your son is leading, Mr. Malfoy," Lucius could almost sense the smirk that Bagshot was sporting as she spoke those words.

Silence prevailed for a split second during which Lucius could've _sworn_ _on his broom_ that his father had dedicated that time to glare daggers at Bagshot. "Well, had it not been for Dumbledore and his love for _mudbloods_ , we wouldn't even _be_ here trying to devise a plan to overthrow the Dark Lord now, _would we_...?"

"Careful, Malfoy!" came a male voice that Lucius did not recognize. "Also, if I were you, I would refrain from making sly innuendos _now_ more than ever..." he warned. "We do not want to forget which side we're on for the sake of staying out of Azkaban at least!"

The voices sounded much closer now and Lucius's panic was firing in all directions and before he could stop himself he had yelled out a, "Father! FATHER! I am here, _I am HERE_! Get me out! Get me out, father, please!"

"LUCIUS!" came his father's panic-stricken voice. A shuffle of footsteps was heard before his father's angry face came into view. "Lucius, are you alright! By god, Dumbledore has stooped too low this time, even for his standards!" he spat out, gripping at the iron bars. "Diggle! Release him immediately!"

Shaking his head exasperatedly at the ruckus that Abraxas was making, Dedalus grudgingly cast a spell at the lock making it click. Lucius's happiness knew no bounds as the gate swung open. Without even thinking, he prepared to dash towards the castle and finally rejoin the brouhaha that ensued down there when he caught his father's eye.

That look always meant trouble.

"Lucius, where are you going? _Did they hurt you_?!" he snarled, making his nostrils flare up.

"No, no, no, I'm fine, I'm perfectly alright! Thank you for coming for me, father, but I… I am afraid I can't stop to talk right now. I need to get going, they..."

"Pardon me?! What do you mean you don't have the time to talk, you're not going _anywhere_! I am taking you home as soon as I am done with this rotten council meeting!"

 _He knew it_! He _knew_ this was coming. Exasperation and panic nearly smothered him as he scanned his father's face. And in this very instant at least, he preferred being locked up in that darned tower than to have to deal with his _father_!

"Father, please... I cannot go with you. I am needed here! Things could blow up any minute and they _need me_!"

"THEY?! 'They' who?! The ones that locked you up in here? They haven't spent ONE day being actual 'Aurors' and they think the law is their hands?! Absolutely not! You're coming with me and that's final!" he concluded, leaving no scope for an argument.

Bagshot cleared her throat from the back. "Mr. Malfoy, may I remind you that we're running late for the council meeting? The sooner we get this done with, the sooner you can escort your son back to Malfoy Manor, is it not?" she added, while also managing to send a sly wink in Lucius's direction. At first, he didn't understand what was happening before it finally dawned on him. He wanted to hug her tight in gratitude for saving him from the very jaws of the devil as he eagerly nodded at his father.

Abraxas rolled his eyes. "No. Send Dumbledore and the Minister my apologies, but as you can see I have to escort my son back to Malfoy Manor at once! Also, the wedding ceremony is to happen in _five days_..."

Everything his father said after that faded into the background and exhaustion took over once more.

And just when he was about to explode and retaliate, he saw it. The star that he had been staring at a while ago was growing bigger and bigger now. Everything else around him seemed disappear as he continued to stare at the growing white object which seemed to be flying straight towards them at a great distance. Lucius squinted at the object and adjusted his focus a bit more until his jaw dropped in awe. His breath hitched in his throat as he realized that that tiny star was _actually_ a massive silver-white _Patronus of a DRAGON_! And not just any Patronus, it was _HIS_ Patronus! What in the world was it doing here dipping in and out of sight over the Forbidden Forest and who had conjured it?! Surely, he hadn't done it, not that he remembered of at least...

"...is that clear?!"

Lucius continued to be lost in thought when he was jerked awake. "IS THAT CLEAR?! LUCIUS!" said Abraxas.

"Y-yes, father! Absolutely!" he committed, not even knowing what his father had asked of him. But he didn't care because he would do just about anything that would get him out of here and by Bella's side. He also made a mental note that he had to teach that girl a massive lesson in self-preservation one of these days!

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
12:19 AM

The tranquility and pure bliss that prevailed inside McGonagall's office momentarily threw Malfoy, Bagshot and Diggle off balance when they joined the council meeting in McGonagall's office.

"This officially qualifies for MASS MURDER! The Death Eaters are _winning_ …!"

"…the Muggle community is starting to panic too!"

"…Yes! The streets are reeking of innocent wizards' BLOOD!"

"… _and they're marching towards the Ministry for answers_!"

"And instead of going out there and _defending_ the Wizarding community, _we're hiding inside the four walls of A SCHOOL_!"

"First of all, we're here because we have issued the Centaurs a notice to prepare for War and fight on our side when the time comes…"

"Yes, and we have neither heard back from them nor from the school's administration on their participation!"

"That is because they have DECLINED the Order! The Centaurs do not just fight someone else's war!"

"Yes, and now you've angered them! Serves the administration right for designing such erratic, last minute strategies!"

"Are you suggesting that the Ministry is doing NOTHING about this, Traviss?!"

" _Maybe I am_!"

"Watch it! That's the MINISTER you're talking to!" yelled Nigellus.

"ENOUGH!" screeched McGonagall, silencing them all altogether. The council members grudgingly quietened down whilst exchanging death glares with one another.

* ** _Around the same time_** *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS  
12:19 AM

He gripped Hermione's hand tightly as panic shot up to his head. The time was here, and they needed to get a move on and they needed to do it quick! He could hear Hermione's erratic breathing from next to him as he watched the group of innocent teenagers grow up to become _homicidal warriors_ all in under an hour! And even as he stood there watching a helpless Sirius pretend to be completely fine with everything despite his whole world flipping over, he felt himself feeling a tinge of pity for the young boy...

As for Sirius, he was panicking again as he replayed his brother's words when they parted ways a minute ago: " _Oh, and one more thing… There are a couple of 'outsiders' in our world… Outsiders from the_ future _… The Dark Lord has marked one of them as his equal and is heading towards_ Hogwarts _to find him! I don't recall his name, but keep a lookout…_ "

 _Could it be the 'Well-Wisher' person?_ was the first thought that had crossed his mind. The shock wave that had blasted up his spine when the revelation hit him had almost numbed him dead. What, so now, they're being visited by _aliens_ _from outer-space_ all of a sudden?! Why was shit so _out of control_?!

The feeling of nervousness was almost ripping his heart out of his chest as he raced towards the room at the end of the third-floor corridor. He didn't even know what he was about to witness but he somehow knew it was going to be THE MOST foolish thing he's ever going to do in his entire life. And just as the thought crossed his mind, his stomach twisted uncomfortably.

"Which room is it?" he huffed in Isabella's direction.

"That one," Severus replied, pointing to the large wooden entrance to the abandoned classroom at the end of the corridor. That very instant was when Sirius noticed the emerald-green locket dangling around his neck.

"What do we have to do?"

"Oh, it's simple! Awaken the monster inside the locket via high frequency sound waves that can quickly transcend through different mediums like tinnitus!" yelled back Isabella.

Sirius gaped at her in disbelief for a split second before going all, " _English_ , please!"

Isabella rolled her eyes. " _Clang the locket to the mirror_!"

"Wasn't so hard now, was it?" he said scathingly as he skidded to a halt in front of said door. "Okay, that sounds _doable_. Why did you two have to panic so much for _this_?!"

"Yeah, right! Wait till you stand in front of that mirror," Isabella responded, her eyes clearly gripped with fear.

"Exactly why I think we should rethink this whole idea!" Severus said glancing nervously in Isabella's direction.

"Snape, come on, not now, please!" she panted.

"No, it's not that, I... Williams, do you _realise_ that we're going against the _first ever Dark Lord_?!" Severus replied, visibly shaking from head to toe. "He may be DEAD, but his Magic was so powerful that it lives on TILL NOW! My Occlumency skills may have worked with Voldemort but I am not sure if it's strong enough to ward off _Mávros_ and trust me, you DO NOT want to die at the hands of a ghost..."

Sirius was predictably running out of patience now. "Yeah, you know what, I honestly don't mind just dropping dead right about now, so the joke's on the ghost! Now, come ON!" he said and ran into the room.

Isabella followed him chuckling to herself.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
12:26 AM

"…we're losing faith in the system because the Ministry has completely sold itself out to the DARK SIDE!" Bones screamed and bolted up from her chair, glaring straight at Bagnold. "You think no one's noticed the glaring changes in the laws and policies in recent times that blatantly support the Dark Side?! You think no one's noticed the comings and goings of certain witches and wizards that are believed to be _his followers_?! And do you think it didn't raise a few eyebrows when you hired an assassin to eliminate a _sixteen-year-old_ innocent girl who has got NOTHING to do with any of this?!

" _She has got EVERYTHING to do with this WAR_!" Bagnold bellowed. "Her very existence might shroud our whole world into darkness…" she hissed, glaring daggers at all the disapproving faces around her. "The longer she remains alive, the faster our world plunges into Hell! She is the other half of the _Cursed Pair_!"

Several people gasped in shock. Others gaped disbelievingly at her, but McGonagall couldn't care less as just sat there, admiring her nails.

"No…" gasped Abraxas, looking pale and lifeless. "No, this can't true…"

"Unreal…" said Mormonte, looking equally gobsmacked. "Is it really…?"

"Yes. The legend of the Cursed Pair is real, and every minute spent debating about _my_ allegiance only means we're tumbling towards our own doom!"

There was nervous shuffling around the room as the news of the Cursed Pair stung them all repeatedly. No one could believe that the oldest ever magical myth that had been told and retold over the centuries was, indeed, _real…_

A moment passed when no one said anything until Bones cleared her throat yet again. "Er… One more question though, Minister," she said, hesitating just a tad bit this time. "This is a _Code Red_ situation that ideally ought to have triggered the MAWSP, or the Mandatory Wizarding Security Protocols, Minister… Why— _Why_ didn't you initiate the same and why doesn't _any_ of your Advisors know about this?"

More nervous mumbling followed that as the situation plunged further down into Hell.

Bagnold narrowed her eyes at Bones and raised an amused eyebrow at the Junior Magical Law Enforcement Officer's guts. "Are you sure you want to take that tone with me, Madam Bones?" she said, giving her a look that could have melted even the Hungarian Horntail! "You do realise I could have you arrested RIGHT here for treason, _don't you_?!"

"Pardon me, but you are under Oath, Minister, and I challenge you to deny the truth in my words," she hissed, glaring dangerously at an unperturbed Bagnold.

This time, even the council members who were on Bones's side knew that she had gone too far.

"Treason, it is!" screamed Nigellus. "I am issuing the arrest warrant _right away_! Besides, if anyone's allegiance needs to be questioned, it ought to be _Dumbledore's_! _Where_ is the greatest wizard of all time when we NEED HIM THE MOST?!"

"Right here…"

A large thunder CRACKED the skies open _right that second_ and the room fell silent instantly.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS  
12:31 AM

Sirius had not seen a more empty and ominous-looking room in all his life until now. The ceiling was high and arched and the room itself looked like it hadn't been used for anything in centuries. He turned to his left and finally saw it: The Den of Desire (or so it was called). His heart skipped a beat as he remembered what Isabella had seen in this mirror and what all that little incident had led to... How all his life had changed _overnight_...

"Alright fine, so what's the first step. What do we do, Izzy?"

"Okay, so I made little notes based on every important prophecy or instruction we have come across till now, including those little mystery notes that's been flying at us out of nowhere," she said pulling out a long scroll of parchment from inside her robes and handed the note to Sirius.

A large thunder sounded overhead making them all glance nervously at the skies outside.

Sirius tore it open and gazed dazedly at the _four feet long_ parchment that contained scores and scores of bullet points and _sub_ -bullet points and notes and theories and assumptions and scribbles and drabbles... _even little sketches_! "How am I to understand _anything_ from this?!" he asked, staring weakly at her.

"By looking at the _summary_ at the bottom of the parchment OBVIOUSLY!" she said and pointed it out to him most impatiently. Rolling his eyes in amazement, he read it out loud, "' _It happens in_ _1976\. Seek the boy with the Jewel of Light. Reflect on DESIRE and burn it bright. Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn. What is up is now down._ '"

[Ron raised his eyebrows at Hermione in amusement. That little note has finally come a full circle...]

"Wow, that… _does_ sum it up comprehensively…"

"Blimey, Sirius, get a move on!"

"Alright, alright fine!" he said and moved towards the large mirror, still reading Izzy's little notes and examining the emerald-green locket clutched in his hand.

He stopped in front of the Den of DESIRE and looked up.

Another MASSIVE thunder boomed across the room as his brain froze at the image that stood in front of him… For a few seconds he didn't even know WHAT emotions coursed through him because the reflection that stood before him made absolutely NO sense to him whatsoever… A couple of seconds later, however, his head cleared, and he finally understood what he was feeling: PANIC. Pure and unadulterated panic like he had NEVER experienced before!

"Hello, Sirius…" his reflection spoke to him. The chills that went up his spine made the hair on his hands stand up. _Who was this man and why was he talking to him? And… Why does he look SO MUCH like… like_ James _?!_

This is not happening… This is NOT real…

"Sirius, what's wrong?" said Isabella, her voice thick with worry, but Sirius didn't respond.

Still shuddering, he inched closer to the mirror and examined the reflection more keenly. There were two people standing side-by-side in the reflection, one that looked exactly like James and yet, it was _not_ James and, the other was _Sirius himself_ except… Except he looked a lot older and his features seemed to bear years and years of struggle and sadness... Those grey eyes that stared back at him no longer bore the fierce arrogance that he's so accustomed to seeing; instead all it held was deep compassion and serenity… The reflection of Sirius looked so different, _so much_ so that Sirius didn't even recognize the man staring back at him.

The thunderstorm that was forming outside had gotten so loud that, it felt like the inside of a raging volcano.

"Sirius," the younger man spoke once again, making him break eye-contact with his own reflection. "My name is Harry Potter. I am James Potter's son… and your _godson_ ," the man said, almost choking with emotion. "I'm here to give you a message from the future, Sirius. I've travelled back in time for the sole purpose of changing your fate and giving you a life that you truly deserved instead of the tragic one that you _would_ have had, had I not meddled with time… I have seen your life, Sirius, and believe me, _no one_ should ever have to lose their wife and child in the way that you did… I came in here thinking I could change all that and give you a happier life with Izzy. I have been a part of your world for the last five days and _much_ has changed since my arrival and now, _right this second_ , I stand before you with the biggest irony of life," he said, as the corners of his lips twitched with grief. "Sirius, I came here to change your life for the better, but I am afraid I have failed you yet again… I have failed you because, with my arrival, I have only managed to cut your life even shorter!"

All the blood in Sirius's face drained as the words slowly sunk into him. Isabella and Severus knew something was happening and watched silently from the sidelines.

"Sirius, you and Izzy are the 'Cursed Pair' today because, a really long time ago, a Slytherin had fallen in love with a Gryffindor and they couldn't be together… Every once in several decades a Cursed Pair is born and History repeats itself, causing immense havoc and bloodshed in the Wizarding world. Tom was born the same way too… His mother loved Riddle but he didn't love her back. She tried to win him over through Amortentia but the love was short-lived. Tom is what he is today _because_ of that.

"What I am trying to say is, you and Izzy aren't meant to be together for the sake of the rest of world… If you want to give the Wizarding world a chance at surviving this War, the centuries-old pattern needs to break and Izzy needs to… Izzy needs to choose the Slytherin this time around _at least_ … And… and if that needs to happen, _you_ cannot remain in the picture…" said his godson, gasping for breath. "You have to give up your life, Sirius…" were his last words and they came out in a whisper.

A tear escaped Sirius's eyes as he processed everything that Harry said. So Sirius _did_ get his happily-ever-after, after all… He and Izzy really had made it out of this mess and had, _indeed_ , made a good life for themselves… Hell, they even had a _baby_ together! How _wonderful_?

And then he looked towards his own reflection. His own older self who was staring back at him looking worn-out beyond measure and seemed like he had lost all the desire to live anymore. His brain instantly buzzed with questions even as he tried to push them away. Was he willing to live and watch his loved ones suffer and die or should he just call it quits _now_ like his godson had suggested…?

"Sirius, is everything alright?" Isabella asked, moving closer to him.

He looked towards Isabella and found her anxiously examining his face. It made his heart explode in his chest because, in that very instant, he knew what he to do… Wiping his face with his thumb, he shook his head as if to say it was nothing and looked into the mirror again.

"I'm really sorry," said Harry, looking completely helpless.

Sirius shook it off. Trying to change the subject so that the grief doesn't swallow him entirely, he said, "How did you get in _there_ though…?" whilst managing to smirk a little.

Harry gave him a watery smile. "I well, took a one-way ticket to the ' _In Between_ ' to tell you that… that I'm sorry," he said. "You'll learn later on that _I_ was the reason that you got stuck behind The Veil in the first place," he added quickly as Sirius's expression hardened.

"Right, and I'm able to see you now because that's my heart greatest desire…" Sirius concluded more to himself than anyone else. "Have to admit though, I _really_ am too smart for my own good…" he grinned, making Harry smile more widely now.

"That's still up for debate," Harry replied, grinning broadly. "I've lived my entire adult life with this guilt, Sirius, and I had to do what I did. And now, it looks like I'll be stuck here forever, but that's fine…" he said.

Sirius shook his head. "No, it's not," he replied matter-of-factly. "Let me fix it…" he smiled and stretched his hand out, moving _purely_ on a hunch.

Time slowed as Ron's senses went on HIGH alert mode now… Everything in the background faded into oblivion as he got into position, ready to take the leap of faith. He _never_ once removed his eyes from the mirror as he calculated for his next move: the time had come, and it HAD to be done right!

Sirius was moving in ultra-slow motion towards the mirror as Ron wrapped the Invisibility Cloak around him, watching the mirror from a great height.

Sirius was almost touching the mirror now as Ron shifted to go on sprint. A split-second later, Sirius's hand almost merged with the smooth surface of the mirror and Ron took off at _full speed_ running towards the scene on some blind faith that all would well end when he finally crashes to the floor. Sirius's hand had dipped inside now and was wrapping around an invisible object when Ron leaped high into the air, prepared to land precisely between Sirius and the mirror…

A _nano-second_ later, Ron saw the white, pale hand of Harry's emerge from inside the mirror and panic shot up through his spine like a current. Harry was being pulled out of the mirror and in a second, he will be fully out, and Sirius SHOULD NOT see him! Plunging his lungs in a truckload of air, he took a final leap in mid-air and spread his hands out JUST in time to wrap them around his best friend's body and roll over to the other side of the room with the Invisibility Cloak wrapped tightly around them, making it look like Sirius had imagined the whole thing…

Bewildered beyond belief, he turned around and looked at the white faces of Isabella and Severus, to mutely ask them if they had witnessed that too, but neither of them was in any position to either confirm or deny anything that they may have or may have _not_ seen…

"Well, I _did_ see a hand come out of that though…" Isabella offered.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
McGONAGALL'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
12:33 AM

Everyone in the room was still too shell-shocked to say or do anything as they looked into the weak yet determined face of Dumbledore. He was so weak and lifeless that he could hardly even stand up right, but there was a burning in his eyes that made him seem unbelievably dangerous.

"Albus!" gasped McGonagall and rushed to his aid. "You cannot be here, you need more rest!" she scolded and offered to help him up, but he politely declined. " _Why_ are you here?!" she finally asked crossly.

"To do something that I should have done a long time ago…" he replied calmly but the fierceness in his eyes got more intense with every syllable. "To address the unbelievable crimes of a certain someone that were committed in an alternate timeline…" he said, making the council members practically shudder. "The crimes are so cruel that I am _compelled_ to impose a punishment on them in _this_ timeline for their sheer willingness to carry out such acts for, it only goes to show how corrupted their hearts are…"

At the instant, a crack of lightening illuminated the room and sound of hooves hammering against the stone floors could be heard. Dumbledore continued to talk as if he noticed nothing.

"Dumbledore, I beg your pardon, but we don't have time for your lunatic theories and sentences right now as we have bigger problems to deal with!" yelled Bagnold, her pupils visibly dilated. "As Minister for Magic, it is my responsibility to put a battle plan in place and you are not _helping_!"

The thundering of hooves was louder than ever before now and the room itself was starting to vibrate with.

"That won't be necessary anymore, as I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, sentence thee, Millicent Olivia Penelope Rue Bagnold, to be imprisoned for life under the watchful eyes of my dear friends, the centaurs…" he said just as the doors to McGonagall's office burst open and in gushed a herd of more than twenty Centaurs, neighing and kicking at the floor in celebration.

"What?! What is this, what is HAPPENING?! Dumbledore, would you care to EXPLAIN YOURSELF?! What have I done so bad…?!"

"The terms of the sentence is non-negotiable and has been deemed right given that you openly rendered your support to the Dark Side, misused your power as Minister for Magic, administered the Unforgivable Imperius Curse on hundreds of Aurors to do as per your bidding, hired an assassin to assassinate an innocent sixteen-tear-old girl for the sole purpose of showcasing to the world that the Ministry indeed was doing the right thing, for mercilessly assassinating her using the Unforgivable Cruciatus Curse and for wiping out the memories of a young lad so that he won't even remember that he had a _daughter_ …"

The Centaurs behind Dumbledore neighed and thumped their hooves on the floor as anger and loathing rode up their spines as the crimes were read out.

"I OBJECT" screamed, Nigellus. "You have NO authority to pass a sentence at the _Minister for Magic_!"

Dumbledore graced him with his most condescending look ever before slapping him with his most powerful comeback ever: "I... am Albus _Dumbledore_ , Order of Merlin, First Class, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the _Wizengamot_! I think I have _some_ authority, Nigellus."

"RIDICULOUS! I have never heard of such a thing and I will not subject myself to such a RUDE reception…!"

An arrow flew straight towards her and caught her pointed hat in passing, thus, silencing her entirely. The fear that rode up her face was more than evident as all the colour drained away, leaving her a white, palpitating mess.

"You just… at—attacked… a Minister! You attacked me, the Minister for Magic?!" she bellowed, her eyes widening in rage. "You shall be imprisoned. You shall ALL be imprisoned!" she screamed as the Centaurs started to close in on her.

"Back off! I command you to BACK OFF!" she said, making more mistakes than ever. The Centaurs' rage knew no bounds now as they closed in on her ominously, neighing bloody murder! "No, back off, let me go, LET ME GO!" but her last few words were muffled as the Centaurs mercilessly threw her in a large cloth bundle. Bagnold's struggle in the bag was evident as she writhed and kicked and pulled at the cloth screaming on top of her lungs but the human-hating species seemed unnerved as they carried out Dumbledore's sentence most willingly, leaving the rest of the council members absolutely speechless...

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HOGSMEADE VILLAGE  
12:56 AM

A green light shot up from the black hooded warrior's wand and rose up high in the air, leaving a trail of fluorescent light behind it. Another incantation and the spell EXPLODED into a thick, green cloud of smoke that illuminated the dead skies to slowly form the image of a hollow skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.

Voldemort was here. The War begins.


	51. Beginning of The End

**This won't happen again... Ever! I am never taking this long a break from this story, and for all those waiting for the update, my deepest apologies.**

 **Also, _Celeste38_ , I hope you haven't forgotten me... :) and I hope I answered all of your questions in the PM.**

 **Thank you, _Avirags24_ , for checking out this story! I hope you like the other chapters too! :)**

 **Didn't want to stop this chap so abruptly and wanted to give you guys a longer read as a bribe for the looooong wait, but this was the apt place to end this chap here and hence... Do leave a comment on what everyone thought of this chap. =)**

* * *

 **Chapter 51: Beginning Of The End**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS  
12:56 AM

The school was abuzz with students and teachers and toads and cats and elves and ghosts and even an occasional stray _centaur_ running amok as if struck by a sudden epidemic. At first, it looked like people were just running around randomly to make his life even _less_ agreeable than it currently was, but he soon realized that in actuality, all the teachers and prefects were really only yelling their throats off because something really BIG was happening... He couldn't think clearly though because, the chaos and confusion that he was surrounded in momentarily smothered him dead; also because he had more important matters at hand to deal with at the moment and EVERYTHING else seemed secondary...

But even as he ran aimlessly through a sea of students, realisation dawned on him.

The deafening thunder that reverberated through the walls sent chills down his spine as he realised he was suddenly swathed in a burning, green light showing down from the skies... The eerie green glow washed over the darkened school's walls and corridors as he stopped dead in his tracks for just a split second to notice the Dark Mark hanging above his head. And though his head spun a little as the revelation hit him, his mind was still clouded with bigger questions; questions that were unfathomable; questions that probably had _no_ answers; questions that were even _scarier_ than the Dark Mark staring down his neck...

With a sudden bolt of panic riding up his body, he pushed past a throng of students and dashed towards the abandoned classroom once more, hoping and praying that all of its inhabitants still had air in their lungs. The crowds were thinning now as hardly anyone ever loitered around this part of the castle at any given time. Running like his life depended on it, he pushed away all thoughts of blood and death and focussed merely on getting to his destination in one piece... Huffing and puffing from all the running, he skidded to a halt right in front of the classroom and paused for a second.

His heart hammered against his chest as he nervously screwed his ears to pick up any sound at all that emanated from inside the room.

As if the universe was answering his prayer, a sudden loud _THUD!_ bolted him right back to reality as he fatally dodged a heart attack and dashed inside, ready to blast anything to _smithereens_!

"Whoa! Wh—that—sh—oh my god, did... Did anyone see that?! Izzy! You saw that right...?!" stuttered a flustered-looking Black. "What—what just happened?!"

Isabella looked horrified beyond measure too as she blankly stared back at Sirius. "Well, yes, I _did_ see a hand come out of that, yes…" Isabella offered, her breath coming out in rags. "But I can't be sure..."

(He could not even BEGIN to comprehend the happiness he experienced to see Black, Snape and Williams still alive and kicking!)

Drawing in a breath of air, he stepped in nervously. "I saw it too..." Lucius spoke from the entrance and stared pointedly at Sirius. "You did not imagine that, Black... I saw it too..." he said, still panting from all the running.

" _Malfoy_?!" said a startled Sirius. "What are you...? How did you...? _WHEN DID YOU ESCAPE_?! And how did you find us...?"

"Black, we have don't time. He's here," Lucius replied, stunned beyond measure at his own calm voice. Pointing at the skies outside, he spoke again, "He's here, the time has come... He's waiting for us right outside..."

The shock settled around them like dust. The second when panic actually drowned him, however, was when he watched two of the BEST Aurors Hogwarts had ever produced, stare back at him completely gripped with fear... Somehow, he'd always imagined these blasted Gryffindors to be the dauntless lot that would blindly run off into the sunset and fight his wars, and that he wouldn't have a THING to worry about... _What was he THINKING?!_

"He's... He's here?" whispered Sirius, quite unable to even fathom the thought. " _Already_...?"

"All's doomed then..." Severus whispered, fear dripping from every inch of his skin. "We haven't switched the worlds back yet and he's already here..."

"No, Snape, that..." Lucius quickly cut him short and eyed him nervously before speaking up, "that is not up to _us_..." he said, choosing his words very carefully. " _Our_ responsibility... is out there," he said pointing at an invisible Voldemort standing behind him. "All WE need to focus on is fighting _him_ while we give... well, someone _else_ the time to figure this one out..."

"Huh?" said Isabella, clearly bemused at Lucius's suggestion. "What does that even _mean_...? Someone else _who_?! Lucius, no one's coming... _No one_ else is going to do this _for us_!" she said, gritting her teeth in blatant frustration. "There's NO one looking out for us, NOT EVEN DUMBLEDORE! We HAVE to finish what we came here for, don't you see? I am the heir of Gryffindor... Only _I_ can do this..."

"No, Williams... You're not the only one that can do it... I, well..." Lucius stuttered, unable to find the right words to explain what he already knows. "Bella, don't ask me how I know about this, but... You're _not_ the only solution to this problem. A- _Another_ heir has already been born... And they're here... With us... Right this second... So we _really_ need to leave _right away_ and go do what we have to do... _We_ ," he said, pointing at the little company in the room, "need to go fight this war."

"Malfoy, what even..."

"Black, please. Trust me on this, I beg of you. I know what I'm talking about... I _know_ things, I have SEEN things, things that I can't explain right now. So, please just... Would you stand by my side, and help me fight the Dark Lord?" he asked and looked straight into Sirius's eyes.

And in that split second, a _multitude_ of messages transpired between them and to Lucius' utter disbelief, Sirius somehow _miraculously_ seemed to understand _and concede too_! Quite unable to believe his own luck, Lucius breathed a sigh of relief, albeit treading carefully, lest he jinxed his own good fortune (you never know with these _hot-heads_ ). Without another word, he quietly walked towards Sirius and beckoned him to hand over the locket.

Nervously, but determinedly, Sirius let it slid out of his fingers into Lucius's outstretched hand. As his fingers closed around the locket, Lucius's head spun a bit more as realization hit him: the greatest magical object to ever exist now rested on _his_ palm; and at this very second, he most fervently hoped he was doing the right thing—he hoped that he hadn't got this all wrong, for that could make this an instant suicide mission! And despite battling these conflicting thoughts in his mind, he found himself moving towards the mirror and placing the locket carefully at the foot of the ancient relic.

For a split second, Lucius' eyes darted towards the mirror and his heart raced, but he quickly turned away and faced the rest of them as if nothing had happened; as if he hadn't seen anything important in it at all; anything that answered ALL of his questions. "Shall we?" he finally said, almost short of breath now.

"Yeah... Let's do this..." Sirius replied and without another word pulled his wand out and went on instant _beast-mode._ The fierceness that oozed from Sirius's intense grey eyes, startled even Lucius. Behind him, Isabella and Severus had drawn their wands out too, solemnly waiting for one of the boys to initiate the attack mission. Smirking amusedly, Lucius looked towards Sirius again and jerked his head towards the door as if to say, ' _Might as well lead the way then_.' The room emptied almost instantly as a fiery Sirius bolted out through the door while the others followed, their faces screaming DEATH!

And even as their footsteps echoed along the corridor walls, sounds of explosions from far away could be heard, finally marking the beginning of war.

...

Hermione simply stood there completely dumbfounded and still unsure if she could finally come out into the light. From the other side of the room, she could hear shuffling of feet and an instant later, the Invisibility Cloak was pulled down and there stood Ron and Harry, sporting the exact same expression that she had on at the moment. The three of them seemed to have gone into a state of trance so much so that they became entirely oblivious to their surroundings; incomprehensible voices battered them, sobs and shouts and wails stabbed the stillness in the air, warning bells sounded all around them, fear and panic was more than palpable at the moment and yet, nothing seemed to shake them off their momentary delve into speechlessness.

"He... knows..." Hermione whispered, unconsciously tightening her grip around the tattered fabric of the Sorting Hat. "How...? How does he...?"

But she couldn't even get herself to complete that question as full-blown panic took over, leaving her a paralyzed mess. Harry's mind raced too, cancelling out possibilities and unforeseen errors from their side, but nothing seemed to fit; there was just no way in HELL that this could be happening; nothing made sense...

"Honestly?" said Ron out of nowhere, making Harry crash-land back to earth. "Are we HONESTLY going to ponder over how he found out about us instead of doing what we really came here to do?" asked Ron, who was genuinely dumbstruck at Harry and Hermione's ability to even delve on such trivial topics. "We came here for a REASON," he said taking swift steps towards the mirror and grabbing hold of the locket, "I suggest we fulfill that and get AS FAR AWAY FROM HERE as possible!" he yelled, finally succeeding at breaking their reverie.

Startled, Harry looked at Ron with a hint of surprise. And when he noticed Ron opening his mouth one more time, he quickly added, "Uh, Ron's right you know," before Ron had another outburst. "It doesn't matter now, Hermione," said Harry. "What matters is he somehow knows that there are time-travellers messing with this world, and Lucius is right, Hermione, you _are_ the true heir and we _need_ to move over to the Lighter side THIS INSTANT for this to end well! That's what we came here to do, remember? Give it a better ending?"

Hermione merely nodded as if she was still unable to form words just yet.

"And they're looking up to US to help them out whether they know it or not..." said Ron, as he swiftly walked over to the Den of DESIRE. "It's now or never, Hermione... So come on, let's just end this nightmare once and for all!" he said, grabbing hold of the locket.

Hermione weakly nodded again. "Alright, fine," she said, not at all convincing Harry. Breathing deeply, she turned uncertainly to Ron and said, "Ron, I am not sure about this, so I need you to take the lead... You know how it's done; we've seen this happen before... No mistakes, this time..." she said, almost on the verge of tears now.

Harry nodded, eyeing them nervously. "On the count of three then," Harry whispered, as he took his position, wand at the ready. A trickle of sweat rolled down the side of his face and his wand hand shook uncontrollably as panic consumed him once more. "Okay, here we go. One..." he breathed.

"Find the boy with the Jewel of Light," Ron whispered and stood directly in front of the Den of Desire looking more determined than Harry had ever seen him.

"Two..."

"Reflect of Desire..." Hermione recited and waved her shaky hand in a smooth circle around the Sorting Hat. The sound of silver scraping through another metal marked the arrival of the weapon they had been seeking for all this while. With a sudden fire burning in her eyes, she swiftly put her hand inside the Sorting Hat and yanked out the magnificent Sword of Gryffindor before raising it above her like a warrior!

Time nearly stopped when Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged one last look of pure panic before the word tumbled out of Harry's mouth: " _Three_..."

Ron threw his hand back before hurling the locket as hard as he could against the mirror. Harry's heart leaped into his mouth as he watched the locket shoot across the room and towards the smooth surface of the mirror until the tiny emerald stone crashed into it.

Harry immediately ducked backwards as the locket burst open and a thick, black cloud of dust exploded out of it, shrouding the entire room in a sudden blanket of pitch darkness! A split second later, a horrific screech as that of a banshee THUNDERED across the room as the pearly, white ghost of Mávros Slytherin flared up from the pores of the emerald stone and merged with the blackness. Harry lost all sense of space and time for a split second and his heart raced with fear.

"...and _BURN IT BRIGHT_!" came Ron's voice out of nowhere, followed by a click sound. Three balls of light soared up from Harry's far right even as the thick white cloud swirled around itself to form the deadly face of the late King. For a moment, Harry didn't know what was happening as he scraped through the floor trying to get as far away from the swirling white cloud as possible (he thought he saw a hint of Mávros' skull forming) when something incredible happened: the three balls of light that had shot out of nowhere suddenly squiggled and collided mid-air with each other to cause such a mega explosion that Harry was thrown up in the air and hurled backwards until he hit the wall behind him. A wild screeching noise pierced his ears as the explosion from the lights burned white everywhere, blinding him entirely in the process! It almost felt like the dark clouds were getting burned and licked away by the blinding white light and before long, another loud scream resonated across the room before everything went still.

Harry felt dizzy and nauseous and couldn't move just yet as he lay there, wincing in pain from the impact. The impression from the blinding light had still not left his eyes and made it difficult for him to see what was happening. He rolled over and groped for his wand which had flown out of his hand a moment ago and squinted his eyes to see what was happening. Ron was flung right across the room too and seemed to be in a similar state as Harry was: confused and unsteady. Hermione, however, seemed to have recovered faster than the boys and was already prepared for her next move.

Holding the sword with both of her hands, she started moving towards the Mirror once again.

"Daughter of love, sacrifice and thorn..." Harry heard her mumble as she suddenly took off on a sprint.

"Hermione, _WAIT_ , what are you...?!"

"WHAT IS UP IS NOW _DOWN_!" she screamed and jumped high in the air before slashing the mirror with the sword! And to Harry's complete astonishment, instead of the sword colliding with the mirror, it seemed to tear the surface as if the mirror were made of cloth!

And before he could even absorb the consequences of Hermione's move, his entire world dissolved into one giant molten mess and everything started to swirl around as if he was caught in the middle of a giant maelstrom! Sheer panic shot up through his veins as he very nearly lost control of everything and got sucked into something much, MUCH bigger than himself: the ceiling and the lights and the walls and everything around him melted and seemed to turn into mere squiggles of colours that had gotten washed away from a beautiful painting! On and on everything spun as if a giant drain had been opened, making his world spin dry! The spinning got faster and wilder now as Harry wasn't even sure if he existed because he couldn't feel his hands or legs or his body anymore and became one with the giant pool.

The spinning was uncontrollable now and they were getting sucked into a very tight tube and Harry knew he wasn't going to make it. The air in his lungs seemed to have been squeezed out of him entirely now and he very nearly ceased to exist; not a thought crossed his mind, not a prick was felt and not thing a moved as he finally stopped fighting and surrendered entirely to its magnificence. His lungs burned, his eyes popped and his mouth went dry as his end drew near. One more breath to live, just one more and he'd live... One more... Come on, Har...

Silence...

Everything stopped. Everything disappeared. Everything was white and everything was OVER... He felt as light as a feather and as alive as a tiny speck of snow floating towards nowhere... He was finally released from the mortal confines of his body and was finally about to dissipate into nothingness when...

 _ **BAM!**_

He felt himself splash through a glassy waterfall in slow motion, and get slammed dunked flat on his face on the wall opposite to him, as he crashed back into the same room he had been a second ago! Everything tumbled out of focus once again as he felt himself being flung out of the mirror and roll over uncontrollably into the new world; _a world of hope_!

They had done it! They had finally started putting the pieces together; finally given the Lighter side a better chance at happiness! Harry nearly welled up even as he lay there rolled up and completely powerless at the moment... Gulping in a lung full of air, he choked and coughed uncontrollably while rubbing his chest to ease the burning and the pain that scoured through his body. Still gasping for breath, he looked up through watery eyes to locate his friends and in spite of himself, his face broke into a sheepish grin when he found the hilt of a long sword still wrapped tightly inside Hermione's fist.

"Harry... Where... Where's Ron...?"

And just like that, his smile faded away...

...

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HOGWARTS  
02:32 AM

"AURORS TO THE FRONT LINE! _AURORS TO THE FRONT LINE_!"

"WANDS AT THE READY!"

" _REMEMBER YOUR SPELLS_!"

"...show no MERCY! _REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING_!"

"First, second and third years RETREAT INTO YOUR TOWERS! _NOW!_ "

"PREFECTS ON 'STUDENT-BODY' DUTY! _NO UNDERAGE STUDENTS TO BE LEFT BEHIND_!"

"NON-VERBAL SPELLS...!"

" _VIGILANCE...!_ "

"STUDENTS BEWARE...!"

"WAR IS UPON US...!"

"...or we DIE _FIGHTING_...!"

In short, it was Hell.

The school had turned into a complete nightmare in under 30 minutes! Some said the war had already started, others said it was a mere rumour, that, burning down the peaceful village of Hogsmeade was the Ministry's way of distracting the public from the real threat; and _still_ others claimed Voldemort to be already _dead_ , killed by a VERY powerful wizard who had travelled back in time just to save the Wizarding world ( _nice work, Lovegood!_ )...

And Remus had had _enough_! He had stood here, manning the double doors to the Entrance Hall for over an hour now as soon as the warning bells were sounded, and still nothing. Except for the large green skull hanging above them all in the sky, there was absolutely no sign of Voldemort, not even the tiniest hint of an attack on the horizon. Oh, and what's the BEST part of it all, you ask? Well, more than _half_ the gang wasn't even HERE beside him, right now. Sirius and Isabella had disappeared off ages ago, the three Slytherins, MOST probably decided to get real and rejoin the forces of Voldemort (OBVIOUSLY?) and James and Lily were 'sorting out' the panic situation inside the school. And even as he stood there turning his wand impatiently between his fingers, he contemplated on breaking off from the front line too and looking for Claiborne one last time; _why don't women ever wear a bell around their necks so that their boys would always KNOW where they are_?!

"Hey, Frank! Mind if I hop off for a bit, mate? Need to find..."

"Oh no, no, mate, no one leaves the front line!" said Frank almost immediately. "We are just twenty VERY incompetent bunch of so-called _IDIOTS_ who are about to go up against the most powerful Dark Force EVER, and we don't even know WHERE all the professors are, so no. No one's going anywhere..."

"But, it's Clay...!"

"Oh, BOLLOCKS! Not this _again_..." Frank exclaimed, clearly irritated. "Remus, James will KILL me, mate..."

"Frank, please, I don't know where she is and I HAVE to find her, mate! I'm worried sick here, I just _have_ to know..." Remus replied, only to make Frank that much more frustrated. "Please, Frank, let me just... I won't be long, I promise..."

"For heaven's sake, mate, why her? Honestly, WHAT do you see in her...?"

"I beg you pardon?"

"No, you heard me. None of us approve of the two of you getting together, not ONE. To be _brutally_ honest with you, we think you could do SO much better than a dullard like _Claiborne_..."

"Shut... _UP_!" Remus exclaimed through gritted teeth, thrown beyond expression at Frank's words. "Oh my god, is THAT what you all think of her?!" he asked, almost shaking in shock. "And I thought you were my _friends_..."

"Moony, we ARE...!"

" _ **Look OOOUT**_!"

The scream came out of nowhere, throwing Remus completely out of balance. Chaos set in before Remus could even blink. Groping for his wand, he clumsily looked around to see what was happening as students started to push at each other in panic. And then he heard it: from a place not so far away emanated the ominous roaring and spluttering of a MASSIVE fire that seemed to burn and lick at EVERYTHING that was cursed to be on its way... Alarmed beyond imagination, he shakily turned around to realize that the eerie orangish-red glow of the fire had now surrounded the entire school!

"Frank! Call in the others! Call in the others _NOW_!" he screamed as he ran to the very front of the Auror line only to get his breath knocked right out of his lungs: to his right in the distance, he could see the bridge burning to ground and a swarm of black, hooded creatures pouring into the school grounds like a giant wave; an unearthly screech from above indicated that the school grounds were, in fact, being ambushed by a swarm of massive and DEADLY _dragons_ that was causing all the fire; and straight ahead was the worst news of them all: Death Eaters...

They had been surrounded from every angle possible and Voldemort wasn't even giving them the choice to stand down this time...

The whole school was in an uproar now as everyone scrambled about to get back inside the castle and take shelter from the dragons above, but that only meant _suicide_ because, the Dementors probably were already flooding in and seeping in through every hole possible like black, liquid DEATH! In an impulse (and out of sheer fear), Remus started to randomly shoot hexes and jinxes at the dragons above while trying to figure out a game plan... Still gasping from all the effort (and not managing to hit even ONE of those giant fire-breathers) he turned around to check on the Death-Eater situation: warning bells blared through his brain as he watched _thousands_ and _THOUSANDS_ of white faces show through a SEA of black hoods, slowly marching towards him; undeterred and unflinchingly. Behind the army of white and black, Remus noticed the trees rustle and shake violently and he could've _sworn_ that he saw a LARGE head peeping through the thicket, _sixteen feet_ above the ground ( _Trolls?!_ _This CANNOT be happening!_ )...

And leading them all right in the front was The Man itself... With a large, red rock dangling around his neck...

Remus nearly fainted; there was no way in HELL that he was going to stop a human-snake mutant man who had strapped the _Philosopher's Stone_ around his freaking neck! His head swam instantly and almost fell backwards in dread when he hit something as solid a brick wall. Horrified at the thought that the Dark Lord's army actually have him surrounded, he grasped for his wand and swung around like lightening only to stare into the cheerful face of Sirius...

"Thanks for holding the fort, Moony," Sirius grinned widely and slammed him on the back encouragingly. Remus was overcome with conflicting thoughts of wailing like a baby and hexing his best friend dead all at the same time! And as irritating as Sirius's smug grin was, the determination to royally _kick some butt_ never wavered in his eyes.

And soon enough, they were joined by a few more brave souls: Isabella, James, Lucius, Severus, Lily, Frank, Alice, Andromeda, Edgar, Sturgis, Benjy, Mavis, Ornelle, Dorcas... and Peter.

"Didn't think we'd leave you here all by yourself now, did you?" Sirius sniggered, making Remus roll his eyes in unapologetic relief (honestly, _nothing_ , not even an ARMY of Death Eaters marching towards them, is enough to get a serious reaction from this bunch!).

"I don't ever worry when you're around, Pads..." Remus replied, whilst staring straight into the ghostly white faces in front of them. "Let's do this..."


	52. Dragon Wars

**_Celeste38:_** **here's your big sheebang battle! :D I hope you like it as much as I did! Waiting for your next review! 3 =)**

 **\- All new faves and follows: thanks a lot for reading my story and giving it so much love! :') Owe you all a great deal!**

 _P.S.: If you want to be totally BLOWN AWAY, please read between the lines very carefully. Have included tons of clues here and there. Just saying :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 52: Dragon Wars**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
GRYFFINDOR TOWER, HOGWARTS  
02:32 AM

Time is inconceivable; difficult to comprehend. But with a little thought, great foresight and tons of patience, _time can be everything_...

But even as this supposedly reassuring thought crossed his mind, the sight in front of him only managed to send a shudder down his spine, because had it not been for his interference, the school would not have been at the mercy of twenty-odd _children_ ; children who had to toughen up to TAKE LIVES in under a _week's_ time; children who _think_ they know what was coming, when in reality, are actually heading for their own doom...

From the wall where he stood, he could see the thin strip of 17-year-old's standing guard against a thick band of black warriors in front of them. Three hundred feet above them were the accursed dragons circling the skies like great big vultures waiting for their Master's call. Other stray children were seen running back wildly into the castle as if being pursued by invisible forces of the Dark. All this while _not one adult_ was in sight... _Where the hell was the Order?! And the professors?! Ministry officials?! Anybody?!_

His pulse quickened; something drastic needs to be done and it had to be done NOW before the wizarding world lost some of its best young wizards forever... For a fleeting second though, his thoughts wandered off to Harry and Hermione and his heart sank: abandoning them at such a crucial moment was the toughest thing he'd ever had to do till now, but it was inevitable. He had bigger responsibilities at hand and his path from here on out was going to be solitary. And just like that, without another thought, he swung around and dashed towards the stairs to join the war.

"So the myths were right..." came a voice from behind making him crash to a halt. Numbness crept up is body and his heart beat even faster now. He could almost feel the eyes of the onlooker boring into the back of his skull while he stood there completely paralyzed from shock. He'd finally broken the first ever rule of time-travel: he'd been spotted.

"Don't worry," the voice continued to speak as Ron's panic only upped even more. "That rule was invented for amateurs. _You_ , however, are the master of time, you have nothing to fear..."

 _Now he's a mind-reader too?!_ Ron thought as he contemplated on what he had to do next. At long last, however, resigning entirely to impulse, he turned around to look into the face of the questioner.

His eyes widened even more as he recognized the fierce and rugged face from long ago.

"Getting spotted is inevitable in your mission, human. What's important, however, is _choosing_ the precise moment and the _form_ in which you reveal yourself to the people of _this_ realm... Planning is everything." [Ron noticed the castle floor had gotten awfully cold; _Dementors_... How many things was he supposed to deal with at the same time?]

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked, almost out of breath now.

"Watching the spectacle while Dumbledore breathes away his final moments..." he spoke, looking deep into Ron's eyes as if he could look far into the future. Jerking his head at the grounds he spoke again, "And I am finally convinced that wizards' stupidity knows no bounds. That ruddy stone is a curse, _even for the wearer_ and yet, here we are, at the brink of war. The Hadens were a dishonest and an unscrupulous clan whose magic only meant _doom_ and the Haden Heirloom is nothing less! The end is here and there's nothing anyone can do about it..." he sighed, although his voice was as calm as still water.

"That's not true..."

"You're a _Weasley_ , human!" exclaimed Firenze, glaring in Ron's direction. "No Weasley will EVER salvage a war and _you_ of all know it!" he said, balling his hands into a fist now. Ron looked shocked beyond measure that his old Divination professor actually remembered him by name _in this realm_. "Yes, I may be from your _past_ but I do know who you are, I know everything about you... You're _The_ _Meddler_..." Firenze said solemnly, once again reading Ron's mind. "You have meddled with time several times and often times than not, you have critically endangered the future outcomes of the wizarding world!" he spat out, making Ron's insides squirm with guilt. "When you get it right, though," he smiled, his face suddenly shifting gears, "the world could not have been a happier place..." he smiled again as if recalling those good times. Looking at the quizzical expression on Ron's face, he continued on. "Centaurs and wizards live in separate dimensions. _We_ have the ability to cross the dimension of time as easily as a wizard ' _crosses a road_ '. So, then, tell me, Weasley... Why have you travelled back in time _this time_?"

From the corner of his eye, Ron saw the Death Eaters advance even closer to the group of innocent children guarding the school and his brain exploded in panic. Anytime now...

"I... I... We're here to... To change this!" he said, pointing at the tragedy that's about to take place in mere seconds. "But none of it matters, if you think this war is going to be a lost cause... We travelled back in time for a reason but if the reason doesn't even exist..."

"None of what _I_ think or say matters, Weasley... _You_ are The Meddler... If you don't know it, no one ever will..."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean go by your instincts and you will never go wrong..."

Ron was about open his mouth when suddenly, a chilling, deathly voice filled the air.

" ** _Surrender now and you shall all be spared..._** " came Voldemort's voice from far below. A fiery wind blew over Ron's face as he watched on with bated breath. The teenagers could not have looked more foolish, what with their fierce glares and ' _never-back-down_ ' attitude.

"Firenze, I need your help!" Ron exclaimed looking towards the tall centaur.

" _ **Stand in my way and you WILL be destroyed...**_ " the Dark Lord spoke once again, spiking Ron's pulse up once again. He could NOT have made himself any clearer.

"They're just CHILDREN! They won't be able to fight him off by themselves and you know it!" Ron pleaded. "Please help them... _They_ need you! They need ALL the help in the world!"

"This is not my fight, human..."

"Of course it is! This castle is your home! And these lads are standing guard to YOUR HOME! The least you can do is stand alongside them and give them a fighting chance... Please, Firenze... Please!"

" _ **You are no match for me, young mortals...**_ " he spoke again, no doubt smirking coldly at the innocent faces of the 17-year-old's. The mockery in his voice was more than evident and Ron was almost shaking with anxiety. Every second felt like an eternity now, clouded with angst." _ **I am Lord Voldemort!**_ _**I am invincible... IMMORTAL! I am the supreme protector of Magic now! Resisting me is foolishness...** **Your bravery is well received, however... You will be nurtured and made GREAT under my ranks... Join me and you will not regret it...**_ " he hissed.

"Yeah, I'd rather just _DIE_!" someone yelled and Ron automatically slapped his forehead in frustration. _Why doesn't anyone ever PERMANENTLY slap Frank's mouth shut?!_

"I got to go..." he muttered to Firenze and pulled his wand out. "I hope you change your mind," he said and sped past him towards the grounds. Ridden with panic, Ron thundered down the spiral staircase that led to the grounds, almost cringing under an invisible wave of Voldemort's wrath. A split second later, an deadly scream rang through the air: " _ **KILL THEM ALL!**_ "

The screech of spells clashing against each other was the indication that all hell had indeed broken loose! Ron couldn't remember the last time that he had freaked out as much he was now and ran like a madman towards the grounds. Through the windows, he noticed the front line of Death Eaters clashing against the Aurors while the ones on the far corners spread out along the circumference of the school grounds and trickle into the castle from the side entrances! Dragons on top, dementors from the sides, Death Eaters from below... They've been surrounded and there wasn't anything ANYONE could do now! His heart was hammering against his chest now...

Suddenly, though, he skidded to a halt.

 _'...No_ Weasley _will EVER salvage a war and you know it...!'_ Firenze's words rang loud in his head and his heart sank once again... And although he knew what he had to do, he wasn't sure if he was ready to take on that role just yet but it _had_ to be done. Breathing deeply, he slowly shoved his wand back in and pulled out _another_ and stared long at it... His head swam a bit as he looked into the longer, more rugged wand he held in his hand now... The power it held... The promise of _never_ losing another duel... If this doesn't cut it, he didn't know what else would.

...

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HOGWARTS  
02:45 AM

It was a battle to the DEATH!

Squishes and screeches and blasts of spells clashing against other jets of light coming from the black expanse in front of them was ALL that he could see and hear now as he _pounded_ his enemies with all his might and rage! He was merciless and _ruthless_ , but UNSTOPPABLE!

And even as he blocked and blasted two Death Eaters at the same time, Sirius knew James had picked the best of the BEST for the front line because what he saw right now was BEYOND even him! Blast after blast, curse after curse and hex after hex... Nothing stopped them! It was a miracle that just a _handful_ _of students_ were keeping the Death Eaters at bay for so long, giving enough time for help to arrive!

Moving at the speed of the light, the group of teenagers battled the front line of Death Eaters as if they'd been doing this for YEARS! The battle formations that Frank and Remus adopted, the choice of curses from James and Lucius, the spell blocks from Andromeda and Edgar, the twin-spell (sometime _triple-spell_!) attacks from Isabella, the well-timed charms from Lily and Alice, the jumbo boxes from Hagrid (the half-giant had come running out of nowhere screaming, _"O'er me dead BODY!"_ ) and the others backing them up every step of the way— _this was the dream_!

With a sweep of his wand, he sent four Death Eaters hurtling high in the air and disappearing off into the darkness and swiftly turned around to hex another Death Eater creeping up behind Lily. Slamming his back against Lily's, the two of them battled on fiercely, taking over one black hood after another. Sirius realized he didn't have to even think of a spell anymore while he dueled and overthrew the Lord's army one Death Eater at a time.

"SIRIUUUS!" came Isabella's scream from behind. Looking over Lily's shoulder he saw Isabella run up a great big rock, swing around and do a 180-degree twist before slamming her attacker with a deadly blow that could've killed the giant squid!

Locking her hand with Sirius's outstretched hand, she swung around and sent another _Arania Exumai_ that blasted off the second line of enemies in front of Sirius.

"We can't hold this any longer!" she screamed into Sirius's face. "They're too many and they're TIRING US OUT!"

"I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE!" he screamed back.

Before he could blink though, they heard Hagrid yell out a "Pe'er wha' are ye DOIN'?!" followed by a _bone-chilling_ scream that resounded throughout the grounds, making Isabella, Lily and Sirius swing around to see what had happened. Thirty feet away from them, they saw Ornelle's arched body slowly falling backwards, her face sporting a stunned expression. In front of her stood a crazy-eyed Bellatrix, her wand outstretched, and behind Ornelle stood Peter, holding a knife in his hand... Nothing made sense for a while until Sirius noticed blood trickling down Ornelle's back and a triumphant smile on Peter's face.

Almost as if hit by a lightening, he bolted after her, all thought of war pushed to the farthest corner of his mind! Everything seemed to fade away into the background as he put all the pieces of the puzzle together. And almost as if he already knew the question, it hit him once again: _Peter?!_

Flashes of spells and curses blurred past him as he shot after Peter, but Peter had already started to shrink in size. Revelation hit him in waves and waves as he saw his best friend mould into a large grey rat right in front of his eyes and creep up Bellatrix's body to settle by her shoulder. Tears of betrayal escaped from his eyes as he watched Bellatrix cackling away in mad joy and disappear into the darkness. Everything became a murmur now as he lost all sensation from his body marred by shock.

He arrived just in time to catch Ornelle from falling however, and held her in his hands. Horrified beyond expression, he tried shaking her awake as more blood trickled down on to his hands and knees. Before long, more Aurors started to abandon their positions and gather around him: BIG mistake. Suddenly there were flashes everywhere! Spells and curses started hurtling their way and there was NO one to block them or deflect them! Remus got hit squarely in the chest by a hex, Dorcas sustained a terrible burn and fell flat on her face, Edgar followed a second later and the offence strategy that James had planned so meticulously came down crumbling like a pack of cards!

Tragedy struck, however, when Benjy came in the line of an _extremely_ near-shot blasting curse from the end of an unknown Death Eater's wand and ended up getting shredded to _nothing_! The shock wave slammed into Sirius like a punch to his gut! Panic set in as more and more Aurors started to get hit by the masked enemies! If this were to go one even for a minute longer, he would't HAVE any Aurors left by his side in this war!

" _RETREAT_!" James screamed into Sirius's ears as he bent down and picked up Ornelle's frail body, hauled her over his shoulder, grabbed Sirius's hand and dragged him back towards the castle. "INTO THE CASTLE! EVERYONE! NOOOW!" he screamed once again, while sending out protective charms that shielded incoming curses and hexes from the Death Eaters. Sirius mimicked him and ran with all his might, suddenly struck with fear. Sweat and panic burst out of his pores as he realised he could die any second if he's not careful. And then he remembered something important... His eyes automatically fell on Isabella who was also fleeing towards the castle along with the others. More tears brimmed his eyes.

"EVERYBODY INSIDE NOW! FASTER! _RUN FASTER_!" James yelled on top of his voice as he dodged a rain of curses hurtling their way.

For a split second, everything slowed down to _one-tenth_ of a second.

Gasping for breath and still running, Sirius slowly looked back and his eyes fell on Voldemort standing in the middle of the school grounds. The Dark Lord stood watching them with mock curiosity, his face sporting the most wicked smiles ever. Slowly, Sirius saw Voldemort raising his hand and grab hold of the Philosopher's Stone tied around his neck and mutter an incantation. Suddenly, a red glow burst out from between his fingers and exploded out into the sky! Alarmed beyond expression, Sirius automatically looked up to the skies to notice that the dragons' eyes were burning fiery red as well as if they had heard their master!

Sirius's breath got knocked out of his lungs when he realized what was coming for them!

"HE'S ALERTING THE DRAGONS! GET INSIDE _**NOW**_!" he screamed at his friends and ran like there was no tomorrow. On his way though, he grabbed hold of Isabella's hand and dragged her along like his life depended on it. "FASTER IZZY!"

"How's he controlling _DRAGONS_?!" screamed Frank from the back.

"Dragons respond to POWER! That stone _IS POWER_!" yelled back Remus.

" ** _Alok, Glaedr!_** " Voldemort's icy voice resounded across the grounds. Sirius looked up and found the biggest of the five dragons flap his wings and face the grounds, awaiting his Master's call. " _Sirius, we're not going to make it_!" screamed Isabella but Sirius wasn't having it. His mouth had gone completely dry now but he didn't care. Running faster than ever, he tugged her along even though she couldn't run that fast. " _ **Hon mi, misa bonaar aar! Drog uth mi! Ag daar joorre!**_ "

"What the hell does that mean?" Alice screamed from behind Sirius.

"I don't know but it's definitely bad news! _RUN FASTER EVERYONE_!" James screamed back just as Glaedr, the dragon, willingly took position, an evil glee playing in its blood red eyes. Sirius's panic knew no bounds now as he continued to run for it; a dragon's fire is the most cursed on the planet! To be anywhere even NEAR it means certain death!

A blood-curdling cry thundered from above as the dragon flapped its wings and arched its head back for momentum. Sirius and company were still ten feet away from the castle when the skies lit up and a fire shot out from fifty feet above! A great big ball of fire hurtled their way and there was NO WAY that they were going to outrun the beast... In that very same instance, though, the doors to the Entrance Hall flew open and out bolted a murderous-looking _Dumbledore_! His robes flapped behind him as he leaped over the steps and closed the distance between him and his students. The young Aurors rushed towards him as he raised his wand and yelled, " _PROTEGOOOO!_ " just in time to shield them all from the terrible fire out of the dragon's mouth! Hagrid caught up with them too and threw his mighty body over them all to shield them from the cursed flames. It felt like being a inside a blast furnace for a second, but the feeling of relief that washed over Sirius was almost INEXPLICABLE! All the students and Hagrid now gathered under Dumbledore's shield and braced themselves from the heat as the fire that got deflected by the shield spilled over and cocooned around them. The smoke that surrounded them was so thick and so toxic that it stung and burned their eyes but it didn't seem to bother Dumbledore _one bit_. The dragon was growing angrier and angrier by the second now and clobbered Dumbledore with the force of a hundred horses, but their Headmaster's magic was stronger! A few seconds later, the fire around the little group seemed to reduce and more smoke took its place; that's when Sirius realised Dumbledore's shield charm was slowly overpowering the dragon's fire and was lifting _upwards_! Awestruck, he watched on as the protective shield wrestled against the dragon's fire jet. It was now a game of 'tug-of-war' between man and beast and Sirius had NO IDEA how _one_ wizard was able to take over a giant DRAGON! That kind of magic was truly _larger than life_! The wind and smoke that they were engulfed in slammed and stung their faces but the spectacle that was happening above them was so magnificent that everyone was simply left in awe of it all...

Dumbledore's hand was shaking more than ever but he was not going to back down! Up and up the shield rose, reducing the length of the fire out of the dragon's mouth... The students watched on amazed as the dragon slowly started to feel the heat of its own deadly fire. The closer the shield got, the pressure build-up to resist the shield grew even more, and only of one of two things could happen after this: the beast would either get engulfed in its own flames or get fatally hit by the force of the _protego_ charm. Ten more seconds passed and the shield was merely five feet away from dragon now. The poor creature let out a terrible screech that resonated across the grounds as it slowly started to boil up inside! Predictably, a second later, its throat burned red and exploded with white hot fire blowing out in every direction! Writhing and flapping in pain, Sirius saw the dragon's whole body light up as its insides exploded too and a few seconds later, the creature was seen hurtling and flailing down to the ground. Suddenly, the skies were no longer bright anymore and darkness set in once again as the large animal disappeared somewhere over Hogsmeade village.

A moment passed when nobody moved or said anything... The smoke slowly cleared up and a hushed silence fell all around them.

A few seconds later, as if waking up from a trance, the shocked group of students finally looked up at their great Headmaster's wrathful face. He was looking straight at Voldemort who was standing about a hundred feet away from them, his face twisted with shock and betrayal at his first failure for the night. Sirius, who was standing right next to the tall Headmaster noticed several things all at the same time: many of his friends were in tears by now; Dumbledore seemed even more dangerous than Voldemort did at this very second; right behind Voldemort stood several interesting faces including _Peter Pettigrew_ and _Narcissa Black_ ; Lucius and Narcissa were looking only at each other from opposite ends of the war field; and lastly, his hands were tightly wrapped around a hysterical Isabella Williams...

What any of this meant, he did not know, but the little company, led by Dumbledore, mutely glared in Voldemort's direction, without even a _hint_ of fear in their eyes, for it was THEM that had emerged heroes in this battle; heroes who were bigger and _stronger_ than they had been at the start of war. And even as they stood there, waiting for the enemy to make his next move, the doors to the Entrance Hall burst open one more time and out flooded a _SEA_ of people, most of them sporting terrible cuts and bruises: the school's professors, the members of the Order of the Phoenix, a few ministry officials, an _ARMY_ of centaurs neighing and thundering down the steps, all surviving students from every House possible and finally, a _silver giant patronus of a DRAGON[?]!_

Only then did Sirius realise what had happened: while he and his friends had battled the Death Eaters here, the whole school had been battling another _bigger_ army of Death Eaters and Dementors _inside_...! Whoever conjured up this giant patronus had driven the Dementors away while the Centaurs had aided the professors and students in their fight against the Death Eaters...

And now, with all these people around them, the armies of the Light and the Dark were finally about the same size. It's going to be a battle of pure skill and power from this second on... [And all Sirius could think of, however, was the fact that Isabella was still wrapped safely in his arms with her head resting tiredly on his shoulder... _I need help!_ ].

"Go back, Tom!" boomed Dumbledore, still looking more fierce than EVER. "This is _not_ their war! DO NOT FIGHT _CHILDREN_ IN YOUR SEARCH FOR POWER!"

" _Children_?" spoke Voldemort, his voice dripping with mockery and admiration at the same time. "Hardly! They are _warriors_ just as my men are... Your biggest weapon..."

Dumbledore scoffed. "First rule of war, Tom... Never use your biggest weapon for your first move... Often times than not, they end up failing you," he said, blatantly calling out Voldemort's foolish decision of using his biggest dragon to blow up the Aurors.

"You're a fool if you thought a dim-witted magical creature was my biggest weapon, Dumbledore!" Voldemort responded, glaring and smiling at the same time. "My real power... _is_ POWER!" he said and ripped the ruddy stone off of his neck and held it above his head to show it to the world. "Do you want to see what power looks like, Dumbledore?!" he yelled, his lips twisting into an evil grin. "Do you want to see what you _could_ have had, had you made the right choices, Headmaster...?" he whispered now and uttered the incantation one more time: " _Emittamo furoremia e_ _xousíadre iṟavāta!_ "

Fear struck their hearts and they watched the stone glow bright red once again, its light escaping from between his long fingers and touching every corner of the school! And almost instantly, the left arm of every Death Eater started to glow a deep red colour too, much to their horror! It looked like that Dark Mark on their forearm seethed and burned from his command and every Death Eater started to writhe in pain!

"Oh my god, Lucius!" screamed Andromeda from the back. Alarmed, Sirius and Isabella turned around too to find Lucius bent double in _mind-numbing_ pain too! His face was red and glistening in sweat now and his whole body shivered and trembled. "I... I can't... help me! Ple– _please_!" he begged.

On the opposite end of the war field too, the Dark Lord's followers were on their knees, screaming and crouching in pain, begging for their Lord for mercy! The sight was far too revolting, even for Sirius, as he saw Peter bawling his eyes out in pain too...

Voldemort merely smiled. "Give me what I need, Dumbledore. Submit to me, and I shall stop their pain. Give me the founders' heirlooms and I shall set them free... Resist me and prepare to watch thousands and thousands _die_ because of your foolishness!" he screamed, balling his hands into a fist.

"Supporting you was their CHOICE, Tom! All choices come with a PRICE! All they are doing now is _paying their PRICE_!" he spat out; despite the disgust in his eyes though, Sirius saw Dumbledore place a worried hand over Lucius's sweaty head.

"And so will you, Dumbledore!" Voldemort screamed. Hatred and rage rushed to his face as he raised both his hands above his head and spoke to followers now. " _ **KILL THEM ALL, AND YOUR PAIN WILL END! FIND THE HEIRLOOMS AND YOU SHALL BE FREE!**_ **_FAIL ME... AND YOU_ WILL _DIE_**!"


	53. Hunt For The Heirlooms

**A/N: Hola, everyone! Just a heads-up. War scenes often tire some of my readers out. Requesting all to be patient with this chap, because I agree, it's quite a long haul. It all ends reaaally well, so that's my only bribe for now (I'm kidding, I hate bribes, please ignore that)**

 _ **Celeste38:**_ **Thank you, you LOVELY person, for that precious review, I really appreciate you taking the time for giving me your feedback! =) P.S. Celeste, here, couldn't decode the little secret that I added in the prev chap too, though she's generally VERY good at spotting these.**

 **\- All new faves and follows: again, cannot** **thank you guys enough for all the love and support! :) Please consider reviewing as well, cos I have tons to improve on.**

 **Note: not edited (please forgive me)**

* * *

 **Chapter 53: Hunt For The Heirlooms**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HOGWARTS  
03:43 AM

 _Everything was a blur._

 _"...Piertotum Locomotor!" somebody had screamed._

 _Large gates had rolled upwards._

 _Several armoured statues had flooded out of the gates..._

 _Ornelle's blood stained the snow-covered ground; Lucius looked like he was being eaten alive from the inside-out; Benjy was dead; heaps of other bodies were being dragged away and into the castle; and four massive dragons circled the skies like hungry vultures._

 _Chaos settled all around her, but everything was a blur._

 _For, as soon as the words had left his lips, flashes of images from not so long ago had come rushing back to Isabella. Images reminding her of her worst nightmare; reminding her of the time when she had felt most scared of herself... Images of when she had stood in front of the mirror with blood in her hands and death in her eyes; images that proved to her that she, indeed, was the heir of Slytherin; that she was Voldemort's blood too._

 _And even as she stood there, completely oblivious to the panic that prevailed around her, she could sense the garish noise of agony that both the Light and the Dark sides had been plunged into. And all this because they had all made a choice; an innocent_ choice _!_

 _"Make it stop..." the words slipped out of her mouth while witnessing the effect of Voldemort's words on his followers. The horror. Her pull-over was drenched in sweat and her body trembled all over as the screams slammed into her like great gusts of wind. 'This is wrong. This is so wrong...' were the only words that rang through her mind over and over again._

 _Trolls clubbed themselves in agony while the dragons writhed and thrashed away in inexplicable pain. The Death Eaters, a clan of young boys and girls not much older than herself, were on their knees, howling and screaming as if their insides were being gnawed away by a thousand knives. And for the first time ever, the black-hooded supporters of Voldemort seemed like 'real people' to her as their screams resounded across the grounds. The longer they suffered, the angrier they got... And Isabella knew that the angrier they got, the more desperate they would be to fulfill their duty to their Master; and they would stop at NOTHING..._

"All students brave enough to DIE FIGHTING tonight, come with me!" roared a voice into the chilly air, jerking Isabella back to reality. She swung around to see who had said those words and the most bizarre man she had ever laid eyes on stood before her.

"Who is that?" she heard James from behind.

"Alastor Moody..." whispered Frank, his eyes oozing with awe and disbelief. "He's one of the most accomplished and respected Aurors for his age."

"Is there a problem?" snarled Moody, his left eye whizzing dangerously at James's unsettling gaze at his scarred face.

"N-no, sir!" he replied.

"Get a move on, Moody!" screamed McGonagall and scrambled to the very front. On the opposite end, Isabella saw the thick black band of Death Eaters already marching forwards for the second time tonight, except this time they moved like inanimate and tortured objects that were being controlled by an invisible power.

"Places, everyone!" McGonagall's shrill voice cut into her thoughts once more. The centaurs drew their arrows out in response and tightened their bow strings. Several Order members, Aurors and Ministry officials shuffled around McGonagall and stationed themselves around a savage-looking Dumbledore. And even as Isabella turned around and huddled around Moody with the rest of the students, she could sense the tension in the air when the adult company drew out their wands, their faces radiating with sheer ferocity. A shudder ran through her; for the first time tonight, it felt like it was going to be a battle to the _death_... Neither side was going to bow down.

"Get ready, Izzy," whispered Sirius and squeezed her hand nervously. "Everything is going to be alright, I promise," he rasped on, nodding fervently. "Lucius, I mean... He will be fine, he..."

"Sirius," she whispered back, feeling sick in the stomach. "My _sister_ is alone with Regulus _and_ Severus..." she uttered, eyes welling up automatically. "I have to get to her before something bad happens..." her whole body trembled as she said those words. "So, it's not Lucius I am worried about."

Sirius looked like he'd been slapped in the face as reality dawned on him as well.

"On my count!" McGonagall spoke again. Isabella saw the elders visibly tighten their grips on their wands while the rest of the students sifted through the crowd and ran after Moody towards the castle. Meanwhile, McGonagall continued to bark out instructions. "Weasley, be our eyes and ears! Hagrid, deal with the trolls! Doge and Prewett, on the offence! _Whenever you're ready Moody_!"

The one-eyed, shaggy man slammed his fist to his chest as if to say he understood and hauled a pitiful Lucius over his shoulder before dashing towards the castle. "There's a warrior in each of us!" he bellowed, beckoning students to move faster. "Don't be shy to unleash that monster tonight!"

Isabella didn't know _WHY_ Moody had to use those exact same words, because she could literally feel the monster inside her awaken. In all honesty, Moody's BIGGEST nightmare was right next to him— _Isabella_.

Slapping herself awake, she shook off these thoughts and ran towards the castle's entrance when a terrible shriek made her blood curdle: one of the remaining large dragons swirling on top had suddenly dived towards the grounds ready to spit fire at anything that even moved, when a STRING of arrows blanketed the night sky, thus, indicating the recommencement of war. For a moment, the dark night burst into colour when the dragon's fire ball smashed into the castle wall just ten feet away from where Isabella was running, making her heart nearly jump out of her chest in fear.

The noise of several hundred streaks of spells clashing and exploding far behind filled the air, triggering a volley of screams from the students. Confusion set in when several hundred students tried entering the castle through the double doors all at once. Before she could even blink, she felt herself get caught in the middle of a giant stampede; before long, she was being squeezed into the Entrance Hall through the narrow opening amidst the hue and cry. As the crowd pushed her further in, for a split second she found herself completely engulfed in a sudden blackness; all the candles had been blown out - one of the many precious handiwork of the Dementors. She was now officially lost in a sea of bodies pushing and falling over one another.

"Sirius!" she called out over the screaming voices around her. Her chest was heaving up in panic now. "SIRIUUUS!"

" ** _SILENCE!_** " boomed a voice from above her, hushing the hall up almost immediately. Several voices murmured " _Lumos!_ " around the same time, and the little corridor lit up. There, above them all on the staircase stood Moody, looking down at them with a grim expression.

"Now settle down, ALL OF YOU!" he yelled again, stirring them up once again. A slow murmur broke out before the hall ultimately fell silent. The ominous sound of a bloody battle ensuing outside the castle walls echoed all around them, reminding them of what they were really up against. Pointing his finger at the door, he spoke again, "You hear that? That... is the sound of bravery; it's the sound of _sacrifice_! Those people out there are dying... for _us_!" he said, glaring down through his one good eye. "The LEAST we could do is make their sacrifice worth it! And how do we do that...?" he asked, looking around at the scared faces. "We make ALL that sacrifice worth it by _winning this bloody war_!" he roared, and a sudden murmur of accordance filled the air. "There will only be ONE winner tonight, and it better US!" he snarled even more, making all the students go crazier with determination. "Are we going to make a bloody _murderer_ the victor tonight?!"

"No!" said someone and even from where Isabella stood, she could tell that, that boy was ready to take down a Blast-Ended Skrewt with his bare hands!

"GOOD!" roared Moody, shifting his stance a little. "So, here's what we do. The company splits in four. Each student will return to their respective House towers and man the darned heirlooms like your life DEPENDED ON IT! No Death Eater will ever enter the tower and steal what rightfully belong to Hogwarts! All those who had been in-charge of finding a suitable hiding place for each of the four heirlooms are to go under the Fidelius Charm and become official Secret Keepers till their last breath if need be! Are we clear?" he sneered, grinding his teeth.

"Yes, sir!" said a few voices, while others nodded vigorously.

" _ARE WE CLEAR_?!" he boomed once again that resulted in an immediate, "YES, SIR!"

"Now, SCRAM!" he roared and everyone started scuttling around once more...

~oO

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
PUMPKIN PATCH, HOGWARTS  
03:43 AM

Despite the bone-chilling breath of the Dementors, a trickle of sweat rolled down Harry's face as he lashed out yet another deadly _Expecto Patronum_ at the hoarde of soul-suckers teeming over the pumpkin patch. However, no amount of force seemed to help the situation, because the number of Dementors around him and Hermione were just too much to handle; the feeling of death around them was far too powerful to effectively produce a patronus.

Hermione, Harry saw, was struggling big time too trying to keep her head in the game. The more they relaxed, the faster the Dementors zoomed in to shred every last happy memory they had in them. Feeling the exhaustion creeping up his hand, Harry shut off for a split second while remembering that time when Draco was surrounded by Dementors as well... He remembered how Draco had driven a whole band of Dementors off in one go... How powerful should Draco's memory have been to be able to do that?

A screeching noise echoed in his ears reminding him that he had made a grave error; a Dementor had swooped in and was tearing away every inch of his soul. Screaming like the world was ending, Harry felt his body rise momentarily as several other Dementors joined in and took turns at sniffing out all possible happy memories away from his very core.

"Hermione!" he cried, as he fell flat on his back, feeling several thousand knives pierce through his stone-cold body.

"Hold on, Harry!" he heard Hermione's muffled voice from far away. "Don't give up now! Fight, Harry, please! I need you..." she said (or that's what he thought she said, because his brain was slowly starting to shut down). Feebly acknowledging another Dementor hovering above him, he shakily raised his hand. Mustering up every ounce of energy and courage left in his body, he prepared himself to hit the damned thing one more time. "Ex-Expecto... Expe... Expecto... Pat... Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing shot out of his wand but something large and silver did come diving in from above and decimated a group of Dementors in front of Harry. A second later, Harry saw it soar high into the sky and descend back to earth, destroying more Dementors on its way this time. That seemed to have done the trick, because, almost immediately, Harry saw them all backing away into the woods and fleeing the scene as the large dragon patronus chased after them.

It took a while for all the noise to fade away and for Harry to let down his guard.

He shakily surveyed the pumpkin patch one more time just to be sure before letting his head fall back to the ground, waiting for the warmth to return. His whole body was quivering feverishly, and his head spun a little. In hindsight, however, he was just glad he hadn't fainted and made Hermione do all the fighting alone. Slowly regaining strength, Harry propped himself up on his elbows and caught his breath.

"Harry... Did you see that?"

Still gasping for breath, he looked up and found an oddly ecstatic-looking Hermione staring down at him.

"What... See what, Hermione?" he slurred.

"That patronus, did you _see_ that?!"

Harry eyed her questioningly, still feeling confused.

" _It's Draco_ , Harry!" she said, gleaming down at him. " _He's alive_!"

"Huh? What... Wait... WHAT?"

"That is _his_ patronus! A strong patronus is known to last for several _hours_ on some rare occasions, but there's _never_ any record that indicates that a patronus lives long after its owner has passed away. A patronus generally disappears if its maker dies. If it's still here, it only means, Draco is still alive too!" she exclaimed, half smiling, half crying.

Harry jumped up at that, gazing dazedly at her, and almost immediately, an odd sense of relief seemed to fill his heart.

"Bloody hell!" he said, feeling utterly shocked at this new turn. "Just when I was convinced that he... Well... I thought… Blimey, Hermione, I just hope you're right! I mean... He wasn't even supposed to _be_ here! Dumbledore tricked him into joining us here for some godforsaken hidden agenda and... And..."

"Yes, Harry, I know," she smiled, pulling him up by his elbows. "He wasn't even supposed to be here... I am just glad that he is fighting back though, you know, that... That he really _is_ quite tough. Who'd have thought, eh?" she asked, smiling graciously.

"You're right," he replied absent-mindedly and started walking back towards the tower. "Wonder where Ron is though." The anxiety in his voice was more evident.

Hermione's face fell almost at once. "I know he's alive and well _somewhere_... I just hope he's not hurt," she said, failing horribly at masking her sadness. "Why would he abandon us, Harry?" she asked a second later. "Was this adventure a bit much for him? Was it too..."

"Hermione, come on... It's got to be something else, you _know_ it! He abandoned us ONCE _years ago_. We were kids back then! He hasn't abandoned us this time, and I know it, I know _him._ We _will_ find him," he said with finality.

But just as they neared the back entrance of the castle, an ominous noise, similar to that of a battle cry, reached them. Harry's hand automatically tightened around his wand.

"Vampires..." Hermione whispered and covered her mouth in shock. "They've entered the castle somehow..." she said, her stomach squirming in dread as the noise of cackling and howling reached their ears. "How many are they...?" she asked, looking stricken with fright. "This can only mean one thing," she said and gave Harry a side glance. "Voldemort's army is entering the castle through the Vanishing Cabinet! Peter recently taught them how to, remember?!"

Harry nodded grimly, feeling equally horrified as Hermione was. "The students are in grave danger, Hermione. We better do something, and we better do something QUICK!" he said, trembling a little. "I'm just glad we prevented the Dementors from entering the castle as well," he added, picking up his pace now. "Time is running out, Hermione. We need to figure a way out to isolate Voldemort and END this damned thing!" he said and ran towards the battle scene. "No one else but _I_ need to do the honours, you hear me?"

"It shouldn't be done any other way, _I know_ , I TAUGHT YOU THAT, Harry James Potter!" Hermione replied fiercely and rushed after him as well.

~oO

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
04:16 AM

"MAVIS, LOOK OUT!" screamed Isabella, making her duck just in time and avoid getting hit by a Blasting Curse. Isabella ran across the room, jumping over a string of bodies, to see if she was doing okay. "Hey!" she yelled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic!" came Mavis's sarcastic reply. "Thanks for the heads-up, though," she muttered grimly and took her outstretched hand. "Why aren't you up by your tower? I saw all your friends (AND _Frank_ ) dash up there ages ago," she said as she and Isabella took their positions once again and battled any incoming Death Eaters from the entrance.

"Yeah, well, I… I have more important things running in my head. Don't have time for them and their drama," she said, putting multiple Block Charms on the entrance and barring three Death Eaters from barging in. One of the Death Eaters (it looked like a girl going by the size), was using such force to break the charm that Isabella knew it wasn't going to last very long.

"All you Gryffindor's are the same, aren't you?" said Mavis, struggling to hold the fort down herself.

Suddenly, the Block Charm burst to flames and withered away in a matter of seconds and, a host of Death Eaters swarmed in like a flock of bees. Mavis and Isabella exchanged a look of pure panic before hammering the army with everything they had, but the Death Eaters moved like zombies. Several took a hit and went crashing to the floor, but it still wasn't good enough because there were at least twenty more standing against the two of them.

Isabella was already thinking to herself that these might very well be her final moments on this planet as she and Mavis relentlessly fought off the black hoods. On and on they pushed, their hands moving like clockwork, blocking and slamming every Death Eater's curse with a counter-curse at the same time. The pressure started to build, however, and Isabella found herself stepping back a little to get more distance and momentum for her spells, but the intruders were clearly starting to overpower her. Getting more desperate by the second, she suddenly felt an adrenaline rush and started to hammer the group of Death Eaters with the force of a truck (possibly); her spell choices got more savage and their impact _even more_ effective as she turned her beast-mode on. More and more Death Eaters started to succumb under Isabella's spell; Mavis, at this point, merely acted like the spell-blocker while Isabella took the wheel of offence.

Suddenly, from behind came flashes of spells she'd never heard or seen before. It was a male voice barking out spells and incantations and they seemed to be assisting her in her fight against the Death Eaters. Welcoming him graciously, she let him take over and the three of them worked beautifully in unison and, with one final blast, all of them had fallen and the great double doors was empty once more (for now).

Catching her breath, Isabella turned around and looked into the unfamiliar face of her side-kick.

"Weasley. Arthur Weasley," the man said and held his out for her. "Some great skills that was, miss," he said smiling broadly.

"Isabella Williams," she replied while shaking his hand politely.

"Blimey, are you THE Isabella Williams that the entire Ministry is talking about? Are you the supposed half of the Cursed Pair?"

"Cursed Pair?" asked Mavis, looking bewildered.

Isabella merely blinked twice before saying, "Why, yes, that... That _is_ me... So, I'm famous now?"

"Mighty famous. In fact, you were more important than even The Dark Lord at one point," the 30-something-year-old man chuckled. "Legend says you ought to die for Magic to go on," he said and pursed his lips apologetically. "But I do not believe in such nonsense, not to worry, I am not here to kill you," he said laughing good-humouredly when he was interrupted.

"Hang on, _END_ of Magic?" asked Mavis, looking incredulously at Isabella.

"Apparently."

"Well, my dear, it's an old legend about a curse laid by a Slytherin upon a maiden who refused his love. Miss Williams here, is the heir of that young woman. The curse, apparently, can be lifted only if she," he said pointing at Isabella, "marries another Slytherin descendant..."

" _Expelliarmus!_ "

Isabella's wand slipped right out of her hand and flew high in the air before landing next to the female Death Eater who had broken her Block Charm earlier. A second later, another " _Stupefy!_ " echoed against the walls and the three of them felt their bodies go rigid and fall thud to the floor. Horrified beyond measure, Isabella struggled to move her hands and legs only to get frustrated beyond belief. She couldn't even move a _finger_! This meant sure death, or worse, _taken captive by Voldemort_! Sweating profusely, she tried to catch a glimpse of the person who had done this to her only to realise the Death Eater was granting her wish. She saw her circling around her and peered curiously into her face before dramatically removing her mask off: it was Narcissa Black!

Glaring back eerily at a petrified Isabella, she bent down and pushed a strand of hair away from her face with her wand. "Why, aren't you the famous Isabella Williams that even the _Lord_ is obsessed about?" she leered, tilting her head in mock curiosity. "Why are you more important than US, his most loyal servants, you filthy hagwhore…?" she whispered, twisting her wand into Isabella's skin. If Isabella wasn't petrified, she would be wincing in pain by now. "You know, you're one of the reasons I decided to join the Dark forces with my sister?" she continued. "She told me that Lucius was planning to call off the engagement and _also_ endanger his family's reputation because he was in love…" her eyes twitched in anger now, "… _with you_! Tell me, you grotty low-born, why is everyone so obsessed with you?"

All Isabella could do was stare blankly into the cold, dead eyes of Narcissa. But a second later, something TERRIBLE happened; something she dreaded the most right now: the pocket clock around her neck started to blare and whizz around flashing lights all over the place! Her eyes widened in shock: something horrible has happened. Angela was calling for help but she couldn't do anything even as the irritating noise continued to echo throughout the hallway. Narcissa looked at it curiously, but her face bore no expression. She slowly put her hand inside Isabella's sweater and pulled out the golden object and stared long at it.

Isabella tried her maximum to not show ANY sign of panic in her eyes and continued to stare blankly back at Narcissa. As the noise got louder and more unbearable for the ears, the young Death Eater seemed to get bored too. "This clock is broken," she whispered, staring at the hands that read '12:00 AM'. Isabella's heart leaped into her throat as she realized Angela was there somewhere right above her! Before she could think anymore, however, Narcissa had yanked the clock off of Isabella's neck and swiftly pocketed it.

Narcissa stood up and examined Arthur and Mavis next to Isabella and seemed very pleased with herself because she had managed to bag a Ministry Official (who was also an Order Member), an innocent Ravenclaw who was trying to be brave in this battle and THE Isabella Williams that the whole world wanted to get their hands on.

"The Lord will be very, VERY pleased with me when I turn you all in to him," she said smirking wickedly. "Especially you…" she said running her hand along Isabella's sweaty face. With one swift move, she bundled the three of them together, levitated them in mid-air and yanked them forwards into the cool, bloody night. The ambience outside looked like hell on earth, with blood and bodies strewn all over the places, deadly battles happening everywhere, stone statues fighting off trolls the size of large trees, professors putting up a marvelous defense against the aggressive Death Eaters while Dumbledore handled the dragons along with Hagrid (from what Isabella could see, Hagrid looked like he was trying to tame and befriend one of the dragons for some godforesaken reason!).

~oO

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
GRYFFINDOR TOWER, HOGWARTS  
05:11 AM

"Hold still, Lucius," Lily begged him as he twitched and writhed in inexplicable pain. Lily looked like she was almost close to tears looking at Lucius's state. His whole body was drenched in sweat, his face was red with agony and his eyeballs had rolled up, revealing merely a glistening white orb. Blood oozed from his left hand where the Dark Mark was cutting into his skin.

Sirius seemed to find breathing an impossible task right now as he watched Lucius suffer. "Is he going to die...?" he asked Lily who was crying in earnest now. James crossly nudged him hard on his shoulder for asking that because it seemed to make the girls even more upset.

"Stop resisting him, Lucius," Andromeda begged from his side. "The more you resist him, the harder it will get... _You could die_... It's not worth it, Lucius, please..." she whispered and wiped her tears off. To Sirius's utter astonishment, he saw Lucius vigorously shaking his head at that suggestion. His thoughts immediately wandered off to an absconding Isabella.

Stepping away from the circle, he looked helplessly out of the window at the bloody battle raging far below and wiped his forehead. "Thinking about Izzy?" James said and put his hand around Sirius's shoulder. Sirius nodded feverishly and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He hesitated a bit before turning to look James. "Is it alright to be selfish once in a while, James...?" he suddenly asked, making him questioningly raise his eyebrows. "Is it okay to go after what you love and not give a damn about the technicalities...?"

Before James could answer that, however, they were interrupted.

"Okay, lads, status report," said Frank and joined the two by the window. "Three heirlooms, that is, the cup, the diadem and the locket are all safe. We wanted to confuse the Death Eaters, so we have given Andromeda the cup, Arnold Macmillan from Hufflepuff has the diadem and Sirius, _you_ , have the locket. All of you are under the Fidelius Charm so even if Voldemort himself searches you, he won't find a damned thing. There's one glitch though, the Gryffindor heirloom is the sword and the sword keeps travelling, like it has a mind of its own. So, I reckon we have only three heirlooms," he said and shrugged innocently.

"That's nonsense, Moody clearly mentioned there were _four_ heirlooms. The sword has GOT to be here somewhere. Are you telling me we didn't find it earlier?!" Sirius nearly yelled out in frustration.

"Hang on... There was no sword mentioned in that note, was there?" asked James.

"What note?" Sirius and Frank asked at the same time.

James stared disbelievingly at them for a second. "The NOTE! The note that came flying out of nowhere, remember? Four heirlooms were mentioned, I just don't remember what the fourth one was..."

Sirius's eyes widened in amazement and immediately shoved his hand into his pocket, pulled the piece of paper out and read it out loud once again:

 _'Dear Padfoot,_  
 _No more squabbling. Split the group. Four Houses, four heirlooms, four secret chambers. Locket, Diadem, Cup, Pendant. Locket - FOUND, Pendant - FOUND. Find the rest. Gather the troops. Prepare for War.'_

" _See_? I told you! It was a pendant, not a sword!"

"James, shut up!" Sirius snapped back and allowed himself to rack his brain a bit. _Pendant?_ _What pendant?!_

"Wait a second..." he said as his mind fixated one shiny, gold pendant that had the oddest thing written on it:

 _'_ ~oO GATHER YE ROSEBUDS WHILE YE MAY, TRUE HEIR TO THE THRONE NEED ONLY PRAY Oo~  
Godric Gryffindor'

His eyes flew open as he remembered where he had read those words before and he gaped blankly at Frank and James.

"What, what is it, do you know where it is?" James asked urgently.

Sirius merely nodded, still looking gobsmacked beyond expression. "The pendant belongs to Isabella. It was around her neck when this whole thing started..."


	54. Slithering Into House Of Black

**A/N (2:28 AM IST): I've lost count to the no of times I've apologised during the course of this story for posting late. I guess it's time I admit that I suck and am too mentally gone to churn out chaps faster. Hence, as a way of saying sorry, I have made this chap extra long and have also added a glimpse into the next chap at the end!**

 _ **Celeste38:**_ **I canNOT wait to hear ur thoughts on this chap ESPECIALLY. :D Please please R &R :***

 **P.S. Unedited.**

P.P.S.: _GenerikGuy814 - Just checking if you're still with us... I hope I have not ruined this story for you... You can just say, 'Here!' and I'll understand :)_

 **Love you all...**

* * *

 **Chapter 54: Slithering Into House of Black**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
EMPTY CORRIDOR, HOGWARTS  
05:11 AM

The light hue from the candles delicately lit the bloody hallways, giving him a glimpse of the horror that had taken place amidst these walls. Turning on the spot, he scanned the now deserted corridor and fervently hoped that she hadn't been a part of this battle, because he knew she could not have survived it. She wasn't strong enough. She wasn't brave.

Blinking back tears, he ran on, constantly checking the map to find her name on it. "Where are you?" he whispered to himself, unable to hold his panic in any longer, because the map currently housed big blobs of black dots ALL over it on account of the war; it was almost impossible to find someone in all this mess. "Please be safe somewhere," he muttered and scanned the map one more time, feeling sick with worry. His eyes searched every nook and corner of the map, every little bathroom, corridor and staircase, only to realise it was totally impractical to look for her this way.

Just as he was about to dismiss the idea and figure out another way to locate Claiborne, however, he saw several things at once that made his stomach clench... More than a _hundred_ dots were flooding into the castle from a room in the seventh floor and were scattering everywhere; four dots named ' _Mavis Pebblesworth_ ', ' _Isabella Williams_ ', ' _Arthur Weasley_ ' and ' _Narcissa Black_ ' were seen exiting the castle through the double doors _together_ ; and as if that wasn't enough to give him a heart attack, he saw two _more_ names somewhere near the entrance to the pumpkin patch that nearly made his heart stop beating entirely: 'Harry _Potter_ ' and 'Julianne Williams- _Black_ '!

 _What_...?

That was the only question on his mind, because none of ANY of this seemed to make any sense, especially the familiar last names on two completely different people, who most CERTAINLY could not exist while _James and Sirius_ existed at least! Or was it just a wild coincidence that two very random people just _happened_ to have the exact same last names? Come to think of it, there definitely could be other 'Potters' out there, but the odds of a person's last name being _Williams-Black_? And even if there was some rational way of explaining this oddity, how or why in the wide world would these two people be here and now, _in Hogwarts_?! Surely, if there were other students with these exact same last names, Remus would've known them by now, and yet, here he was.

' _Something isn't right..._ ' he thought to himself, but was interrupted.

A distant screeching noise pulled him out of his thoughts and reminded him of the danger he was in. He realised he was a lone wizard roaming about the castle with _no_ back-up and _no_ escape plan if things were to turn sour... Almost immediately, he became very aware of the grave danger that he was surrounded in and a chill swept up his spine. His hand automatically wrapped around his wand even as sounds of shuffling feet and loud, manic cackling reached him.

Vampires...

Before Remus even had the time to register that fact properly, however, he got wrapped up in one of the most _terrifying_ sounds to ever exist in the wizarding world. In fact, one could _never_ properly express what they feel when they hear the ominous arrival of vampires, partially because, they'd be attacked and feasted upon faster than they could cry, ' _Help!_ '

Remus was in BIG trouble and he knew that. He knew running away would be pointless because, the vampires could easily sniff him out. Secondly, running only means less energy to fight back when the vampires do end up catching up and hence, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He knew that if he let himself panic even a little bit, he will have failed this battle before it even started. With his eyes still closed, he twirled his wand in his hand and prepared a mental list of hexes and curses that would work best against vampires even as steely determination washed down his body. He let out a long breath when he sensed movement ahead and all around him.

The time had come and he was ready.

He slowly opened his eyes and his heart skipped a beat. There, smiling maliciously back at him was a whole bunch of pale and gaunt-looking creatures, baring dirty sharp fangs for teeth and blood-red balls for eyes, and despite the lack of blood in any part of their body, their mere presence seemed far more terrifying. Several vampires clicked their nails together and cackled in high-pitched voices in pure jubilation at the sight of Remus.

"Feeding time," jeered the vampire nearest to Remus and took a step closer to him.

The next thirty seconds went by so quickly, even Remus couldn't tell what had happened, because before anyone else could do anything, he had sent a _Petrificus Totalus_ that hit at least three vampires straight in the front! The spell from the wand had lit up the whole corridor, giving Remus a sense of exactly how many enemies he was dealing with; and what he saw was _extremely_ disheartening. There were at least thirty more around the mouth of the corridor opening and he had no clue how he was going to handle them all single-handedly. The Full Body-Bind Curse that he had sent a second ago had surprised the company so much that the corridor immediately became a dark tube bursting with light and colour as spells and curses flew everywhere! Remus's hand moved in extremely complex and intricate squiggles now, blocking and attacking his assailants at the same time, as the pace of the duel heightened.

As more and more of them joined in the on the duel, however, Remus's attack started to weaken before he was swiftly overpowered. In an interval of less than a second his wand flew out of his hand and he went crashing to to floor as the jumped on him. In an instant, everything went dark and all he could ever hear were the grunts and growls of countless vampires on top of him. Choking and thrashing to somehow get away, Remus flailed his hands and legs in sheer desperation while several nails and sharp teeth scratched and tore at his skin.

"No! NO!" he screamed, but it was drowned by the grunts and growls of the creatures all around him. The terrible smells of sweat, blood and bad breath stung his nostrils, making him blackout for a second. This was the end and he knew it. There was no escaping this; NO WAY whatsoever... Taking in one last gulp of air, he thrashed one more time, out of sheer desperation. He was not ready to die, not yet...

" _HEEEELP_!" he screamed, knowing _fully well_ that no help was going to come.

He was wrong.

A loud scream, loud enough to make his ears _bleed_ , resounded all around him, making his eyes fly open. He did not understand what was happening but the screaming continued, followed by a great gust of wind, powerful enough to send Remus's attackers hurtling backwards! Bracing himself from all the debris that peppered his face and hands, he curled up into a fetal position, as the strong wind continued to thrash against him. Interestingly, however, he did not go flying or get ripped apart or be shred to pieces like the vampires around him were when the wind touched them... Struggling against the force, he managed to open his eyes and look up: the pale white creatures were flying all around him, looking scared and screaming for mercy before they either fatally hit against the walls and ceiling or get destroyed entirely and disintegrate into nothingness! Blood and tissues sprayed all over the corridor in a circular motion and, ironically, looked almost... magical... _Orchestral_ , even.

The scream had steadied now and seemed to get _more_ powerful as it picked momentum, decimating ALL of Remus's attackers most ruthlessly; it took Remus several moments to finally realise it was a little girl's voice at the end of the corridor. Fighting against the strong force one more time, he raised himself on his elbows and sat up warily, trying to figure out who it was that had come to his aid. It was too dark and too windy to identify the little girl, but Remus was surprised to see the silhouettes of more than one person standing at the far end of the corridor. Slowly, the corridor started to clear up as more and more of the vampires succumbed to the girl's power. Remus watched one young vampire running away desperately before getting carried away in the little maelstrom, a look of pure fear and desperation hung in his eyes. A stab of pity coursed through his heart when he watched the young lad get ripped apart until he was almost unrecognisable. "Please, stop!" cried out Remus, but his voice hardly carried through. He sensed that her magic was fully unleashed and there wasn't anything anybody could do to make it stop now.

He still didn't understand why the dark wind didn't annihilate him the way it did to the vampires, but he was beyond thankful that help came at the nick of time. A few more moments passed, and the corridor finally emptied up with the sole exception of Remus, who was standing at the far end, still being hit with the full force of the dark energy stemming from the scream of the little girl. He didn't know how to tell her that everything was fine, that she could stop now. He knew that the little girl still did not realise that it was safe for her to stop unleashing her powers and was about to raise his hands to calm her down when someone next to her, a girl slightly older than her, gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

The effect was instant.

Remus watched as the girl's outstretched arms slowly started to drop and her scream started to soften up. The intensity of the black wind was a lot lesser now before it died entirely when she dropped down to her knees and doubled-up, obviously feeling drained of all energy. Nobody moved for a really long time and simply stood stalk-still in the blood-covered little corridor, overcome with shock at the horror that had taken place a few moments ago. The little girl continued to lay on the floor, weeping a little, while the other two unidentified people next to her continued to gape back at him in utter disbelief.

"You okay?" spoke the boy on the other side of the little girl.

"Yes, thank you," came Remus's ragged response. "Is she alright?" he asked, pointing at the girl.

"She will be," nodded the boy and Remus recognised his voice: it was Severus.

"How did she...?" he asked, pointing at the bloody mess behind him.

"She's an Obscurial. It seems to have manifested really late in her. Very often, children as old as _three_ experience sudden shifts in their temperaments and the Obscurus inside of them gets released, often focussed on the cause of the Obscurial's torment, but also causing destruction in its wake. It's a miracle that she's still alive, that the Obscurus inside of her still hasn't killed her..."

Remus's eyebrows arched high in his forehead, as he digested this new piece of information. His legs felt like lead when he tried to move them, but he walked towards them all the same. Still covered in blood and tissue and smelling like rotten tomatoes, he dragged himself over to the other side of the corridor where they stood. And even as he moved towards them, the older girl raised her wand and cast a spell at him that sucked away all the muck and goo from his body.

"I would've killed you if you hadn't fought those monsters and stayed alive until we got here," she said and Remus could not contain the happiness that rose in his chest. "You dare not die on me, Remus," said Claiborne, smiling weakly at him before he threw his hands around her.

" _You're alive_!" he exclaimed, holding her as tight as possible; he still could not believe that this was happening for real! "I came here looking for _you_! _Where were you_?!" he asked, now holding her at arm's length.

Claiborne merely rolled her eyes miserably and said, "I was hiding. I am _pathetic_ , Remus..." she said, her voice quivering a little. "I don't even know why I got sorted into Gryffindor, because I don't belong there one bit... I was hiding in one of the girls' bathrooms on this floor when I heard a sudden sound like an alarm blaring and echoing through the walls..." she said, bending down and helping the terrified-looking girl back to her feet. The little girl's face was glistening with her own tears and she looked more scared than any of them right now. "I couldn't help myself and rushed out to see what it was and saw that the noise was coming from the pocket clock around neck... That's how I met her and Snape here..." she said and held the girl close to her, trying to calm her down.

Remus turned to look at a very calm Severus and was taken aback a little. "How are you this...? Well, aren't you one of them too? How come you're not... _hurting_ like Lucius or any of the other Death Eaters?"

"Perks of being an expert Occlumens," he responded, without battling an eyelid. "I have only ever wanted to join the Dark side because I couldn't imagine what life would be like without Lily. But I also knew I wouldn't fully agree with the Lord's ways, so I needed a backup plan. Which is why I practiced Occlumency right from my third year."

"Why, aren't you a planner," mused Remus, looked down at the grounds where the battle continued to rage on. He didn't WHERE they all got their energies from, because he was exhausted already. His eyes fell on Dumbledore and he noted how swift and effortless he was with the wand... And just for a flash of a second, something did not seem right about how fast he was moving at all... Remus continued to stare suspiciously at the grounds, when a hand wrapped around his forearm and pulled him backwards. "Can we please leave this place before the smell knocks us out cold?" said Claiborne.

"What happened to Regulus again?" Remus asked, absent-mindedly, even as he let himself be pulled away from the ledge and into the castle once again.

"Same as the others," Severus replied. "He succumbed to the Lord's will and couldn't stop himself from attacking Williams here. And she knew if she ever lost control of herself, she'd _destroy_ him like she had done a while ago. So she ran away while I restrained him and petrified him, so he wouldn't come after us. He's currently locked up in one of the empty classrooms on the first floor. That was when we ran into Jones."

Remus squeezed Claiborne's hand and smiled down at Angela at the same time. "You know, I could never thank you enough for what you did for me out there? Your power is incredible, Angela..."

"No. I am scared of myself," she said. Her face was blank with no expression and almost looked like all her innocence had been sucked away. "I hurt people..."

"No, you hurt BAD people," Remus corrected her. "You didn't hurt me, I was right there too, remember?" he said, smiling warmly at her. "You're our _secret weapon_ , Angela... You could be the key to ending this war, you know?" he said, beaming down at her. A tiny smile cracked on her face and she hugged Remus back for saying that. "Now, to send Sirius a message..." he mused to himself when he saw Peeves in the back throwing little crystal balls out the window, NO DOUBT, as a way of ' _helping_ ' in the war. "Good job, Peeves! That's just... You're our hero!" Remus called out, flashing his widest smile possible.

"Why, thank you, Loopy!" Peeves called before pretending to take aim again and throwing off another crystal ball into the glorious night.

"You know, if you could just tell Sirius Black that Isabella Williams is being taken to Voldemort, it could potentially win the battle for us!" Remus yelled back and stared expectantly at the scowling poltergeist. "All of Hogwarts will _worship_ you...?" Remus added yet another bait.

"Say, 'pwease.'"

"PLEASE!" yelled all three of them. With a satisfied nod of his head, he whooshed away through the wall behind him.

Sighing with relief, he pulled out the Marauder's Map again and scanned it one more time. His eyes trailed off specifically to the centre of the castle grounds and he saw it. _I knew it!_ he thought to himself, shaking his head speechlessly. Despite the accelerated heartbeat, he made sure his face revealed NOTHING when he looked back up at Severus. "Severus, I need your help," he said, trying his best to mask the excitement he was feeling. "You're mind is almost impenetrable, and probably the best thing we could've asked for right now. You have a mighty important role to play. You need to become a double-agent and weaken the Dark side somehow... Become Voldemort's biggest confidante and make sure he's always turning the wrong turn until we work things out here. Can you do that? Will you help us, Severus?"

Severus nodded grimly. "Absolutely."

"Great! Go on then. Now! And take Angela with you... Don't let her strike until the time is right, you hear me? And be VERY careful..." he said, and clapped his back.

"Claiborne, you're coming with _me_ ," he said firmly and scanned the map once again absent-mindedly.

"What are _you_ going to do?" Severus asked.

"Talk to Dumbledore," he said, grabbed hold of Claiborne's hand and prepared to run towards the North tower.

"Remus!" Severus called out. "Where are you going? Dumbledore's down there!" he said, pointing towards the grounds.

Remus shook his head. "No, he's not. Good luck to you both and STAY ALIVE, okay?" And with that he was off, with Claiborne trailing at his heels!

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, HOGWARTS  
06:00 AM

"Can it be...? Is this really happening?" he whispered, looking intently at Isabella's ghost-white face. Nagini hissed in jubilation too from his side. His blood red eyes and the close proximity of his terrible face to hers, gave her a shiver. The ice on which she lay had melted away a little, soaking her hair and back, making the cold even more unbearable. "To look upon the face of _another_ that shares my blood? What an honour..." he said, running his wand across her face, looking very pleased. "The face of royalty," he said, commending her beauty. "A twist in fate that has come, perhaps, at the most opportune time. It is... _quite_ reassuring to think that I am not entirely alone in fulfilling the dream of our great ancestors..." he said, and broke into the most ominous smile Isabella had ever seen on another human being.

Voldemort continued to examine her face with mild curiosity, his face even breaking into a slight smile. "Perhaps a final test to see if she indeed is a true heir of Slytherin..." he said, and X-Ray'ed her mind most effortlessly. Still under the Petrificu Totalus spell, Isabella wanted to scream out in anger when she felt him navigating through some of the deepest and darkest corners of her mind. In an instant, she had dived into her own memory bubble and was reliving flashes of the past that even _she_ did not remember happening. Tears of suffering poured out of her eyes at the mere thought that Voldemort was accessing her mind like he'd been given a free pass.

His eyes flickered open in delight. "A slight stumble at first when you yearned for that blood-traitor and heir of the House of Black. But as cursed as the blood that runs in your veins, you have upheld our ancestors' values by choosing the boy of Haden descent." Narcissa's nose flared in anger.

"Finite Incantatem!" he said and her body broke loose immediately. Shaking uncontrollably from the cold, she jumped up to her feet and drew out her wand, pointing it shakily at the tall, white man in front her. Isabella was so weak and in so much pain now, that she could hardly even stand upright.

Voldemort couldn't contain the laugh that was bursting at the end of his lips as he watched her put up one of the weakest defenses he'd seen all night. He turned towards Narcissa and beamed at her. "Well done, Miss Black. Tonight, you have displayed loyalty in its truest sense... Tell me, my dear, are you feeling even the slightest of pain...?"

"None, my Lord," she replied instantly.

"You see? Can you now see how merciful your Lord is?" he asked, looking around at the Death Eaters who stood in a wide circle around them, each experiencing different stages of pain. Some of them, Isabella noticed, were also bleeding from their eyes, lips and ears. "When you submit to me entirely, you shall feel no pain... Only a disloyal servant feels pain..."

"An honour, my Lord," came Narcissa's cold response; Isabella noticed Bellartrix glaring at her in disbelief. It looked like she couldn't believe that her _younger_ sister had managed to take her place in the ranks. "If I may, my Lord, I would be _delighted_ to show Williams her true place in the Dark side," she said, staring blankly into Isabella's eyes.

Isabella raised an eyebrow in challenge. Something instantly shifted in her and her persona changed in the blink of a second. Images of blood and dead bodies flashed before her eyes and a chill ran up her spine. Her hand automatically tightened around her wand, seeking revenge.

Voldemort seemed to notice it too. "How exquisite... A Slytherin by blood, a Gryffindor by heart... A lethal combination," Voldemort hissed, staring at her with awe. "Destroy her," he whispered.

Narcissa jumped at the permission and slammed Isabella with her most deadly choice of a curse. Isabella merely flicked her wand and blocked it, shocking several Death Eaters around her. Narcissa looked speechless as well. Enraged, she raised her wand once again, but Isabella wasn't having it. She casually flicked her wand again and hit Narcissa with a hex that almost floored her! Writhing in pain, she shakily pointed her wand at her, but Isabella had to merely swish her wand again before she got thrown off her feet and flung across the forest floor, before she curled up and lay motionless. Isabella squared her shoulders and raised to her full height before looking at Voldemort straight in the eye, oozing with power. In her mind, she had truly _become_ the image she had seen of herself in the Den of Desire: a merciless warrior and the true heir of Slytherin...

Voldemort, Isabella noticed, seemed far too impressed to say anything just yet. Bellatrix, on the other hand, FUMING with rage.

"I should've destroyed you when I had the chance!" she screamed manically.

"I'd like to see you try," hissed Isabella and went on the offense immediately. Bellatrix was better than Narcissa though and blocked and thrashed Isabella with a hex at the same time. The two got into a fierce duel before anyone could even register what spells shot out of their wands. Voldemort motioned for the others to stay out and watched on with sheer amazement. Isabella was fuming with rage so much that it was hard to guage _whose_ spells were more punishing than the other... Deep down, Isabella was reveling in joy as she watched her own power get FULLY unleashed without the slightest need to hold back...

"Think you're better than me?!" screeched Bellatrix, in the middle of the duel.

"I _know_ I'm better than you," Isabella hissed back, her voice dripping with venom.

"Watch me make you dance!" Bellatrix shrieked before yelling, "CRUCI _-_!"

" _EXPELLIARMUS_!" Isabella screamed and Bellatrix's wand flew out of her hand. Isabella glared daggers in her direction, her eyes filled with a mad joy that made even Bellatrix look harmless. "Crucio," she whispered mercilessly. Bellatrix's screams echoed through the forest and seemed to ruffle the trees around them. Isabella hadn't known that it is possible to inflict THIS much pain in anyone until this second. And for some reason, she was enjoying it. Bellatrix was writhing and thrashing in pain and Isabella's mind wanted _more_. She turned her wand just a little and saw Bellatrix's pain increase by _two folds_! How was she this powerful?!

"Show me more, dear girl," Voldemort whispered in ear. "Show me your ability to _take_ a life... The sign of TRUE power..."

By now, most Death Eaters around her were screaming profanities in Isabella's direction, no doubt, _horrified_ by her heartlessness. And, interestingly, that only encouraged her piss them off even more. She flicked her wand a little and Bellatrix's body fell thud to the floor, still quivering from the unimaginable amount of torture it had gone through a second ago.

"Shut out all emotions... Cut of all ties from the mortal world... Become one with your power... and say the word," he hissed, and her hand automatically rose up.

All the Death Eaters around her gasped and screamed out in protest but her mind never once wavered. She glared ruthlessly at Bellatrix who was beside herself with fear. Twisting her wand into position, she opened her mouth. " _AVADA KED-_ "

" ** _Izzy, NOOO_**!" someone screamed and a jet of red light shot out from between the trees and collided with her curse.

 ** _BLAST!_**

The collision caused an ear-splitting explosion that threw everyone backwards and slammed them into the trees. The force of the collision was SO great that Isabella's hand vibrated uncontrollably. Squinting against the blinding white that emanated from the collision, she looked up and gasped in surprise to find Sirius standing at the other of the connection, his face oozing with determination. Almost as if she had woken up from a trance, she thought back to a moment ago when she had cast the Death Spell...

All the blood in her face drained away as she realised what she was becoming and gaped fearfully at Sirius.

"Sirius, _help me..._!" she yelled.

"I am!" he growled back, as he struggled to keep the connection steady.

All the Death Eaters around them had scrambled back to their feet and started throwing curses at Sirius and Isabella but all of them simply ricocheted off an invisible igloo that had formed around them, no doubt, an aftermath of the collision.

"KILL THEM!" screamed Voldemort from behind Isabella.

"Oh, my god, get us out of here, Sirius!" Isabella screamed frantically.

"Something's wrong with him!" Sirius yelled back, staring intently in Voldemort's direction. "I think the Philosopher's Stone cracked a little from impact! He looks WEAK!"

"THIS IS OUR CHANCE, THEN! _DO SOMETHING_!" she shrieked.

She saw Sirius look around frantically for inspiration before deciding to gun it himself. Focussing on the connection between their wands, he screamed, " _LUMOS_!"

The new spell that got cast out of his wand burned _blinding_ hot white light that nearly hurt his eyes. A second later, the new spell overpowered the one that he had cast earlier, thus resulting in yet ANOTHER bone-crushing explosion. Despite being disoriented from the blast, he raced towards Isabella, threw his hands her around and disapparated in the blink of an eye.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
ASTRONOMY TOWER, HOGWARTS  
06:15 AM

 _Crack!_

Sirius and Isabella apparated on the wide balcony of the Astronomy Tower.

" _Unbelievable_!" fumed Sirius exactly ONE second later.

Isabella was too shaken to even look at him.

"I mean, how did we ever let something like that _HAPPEN_ in the first place!" he raged on, kicking and throwing inanimate objects around in complete frustration. "I lose sight of you for _one second_ and you end up right under Voldemort's NOSE?! Where did you _go_ , Izzy?!"

"I had to find my sister!" she said quickly.

"And I would've lost you FOR _EVER_!" he yelled, pushing her against the wall and crashing his fist into the space of wall next to her. "What were you _thinking_ , Izzy?! How is it this easy for you to be _so damned_ selfish? D'you think I'd let anything happen to Angela? Why do you think we always move as a pack? It's because someone would _always_ have our backs! You don't get to play the hero on days like this, Izzy, you bank on _friends_!"

Isabella had never seen Sirius be this agitated about anything her entire life, so much that he did not even seem to feel the shooting pain in his hand! She knew he was yelling his head off right now only because she'd given him the biggest scare of his life and she perfectly understood that.

"I couldn't lose you too..." she said in a quiet voice, shaking uncontrollably. Sirius rubbed his face in frustration and was about to say something when she cut in. "I just lost my parents, Sirius. And right now, you and Angela are the only two things left that make this whole fight worth it. My life would be _meaningless_ if I lost you too... I couldn't possibly imagine a life without you in it, Sirius," she said, finally feeling the exhaustion creep up her body.

Sirius looked a bit taken aback at what Isabella had said and the two fell silent for a bit, letting the light breeze blow past them.

"Which is why I had to go after her alone and leave you out of it," she said, staring straight into his eyes.

Sirius shook his head. "There's more."

Isabella stared blackly at him, surprised that he knows her so well. "Also because I love you... More than I can possibly put into words..." she finally said, her eyes prickling around the corners.

Sirius looked at her in utter disbelief.

"What...?"

"Yeah... I want you... _I choose you_..." she said tearfully, and his eyebrows shot up in shock. "But, given that I have this _monster_ inside of me..."

"Yeah, we'll get to that in a second," Sirius cut in, still looking shell-shocked beyond expression. "Do you mean that?" he asked, pulling her by the hand even as she avoided his eye. "Izzy, you nearly _killed_ me when you disappeared without even a glance back, you know that?" he said, scowling at her. "That was when I realised that letting you go after _what's-his-face_ was complete _horse dung..._ "

"Sirius, I'm scared of myself..." she said, trying to wriggle out his grip. "I am going MENTAL!"

"Yeah, I don't care," he said quietly, pulling her close to him. "You're never leaving my side again..."

"Don't be ridiculous! You _saw_ what I almost did a _second_ ago, Sirius..."

"Just... Stop talking, Izzy..." he whispered and looked deep into her eyes. He nodded a little himself, as if he had decided on something. "Family Magic is powerful... It protects you... Keeps you safe."

Isabella blinked, looking confused beyond words. "What? Where did that come from...? What are you saying?"

"This..." he said, staring longingly into her beautiful face. "That you could end your connection to the Slytherin bloodline if you became a Black."

"What?!"

"We Blacks... We're _ancient_ and bound by _very old_ magic. It's what makes us so powerful..." he said even as he put his hand into his pocket, pulled out something small and round, took her hand in his and slid a ring on to her finger. He glanced at the large rock on her finger for a second before staring into her stunned face. "You're now Lady Black," he said.

Isabella didn't say anything for a long time and kept trying to form the right words to react to a thing like this.

"Sirius, wh...?" she began, looking horrified. "Oh my god, Sirius, do you even KNOW what you've just done?!" she exclaimed, her face screaming bloody murder. "What were you _thinking..._?!"

"That, I love you too. And that I can't lose you just as much... I'm not letting you go, ever," he said, wrapping his hands around her. As an afterthought, he added, "Well, not letting you go without putting up a fight at least!" he added with a chuckle, suddenly changing the mood entirely. She loved seeing that twinkle return to his eyes.

All Isabella could do was gape back at him, still completely dumbfounded. "Why, thank you. Just what I needed to hear," she joked back tearfully, making him laugh out loud even more.

And just like that, bang in the _middle_ of a bloody war, she had somehow landed back in his arms. "You're mine now," he smiled and swooped down to give his new fiance her first ever kiss as 'Lady Black'!

* * *

~oO **Ending Note** Oo~

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HEADMASTER'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS  
06:15 AM

Remus stood nervously in front of the gargoyle while Claiborne kept shooting him suspicious glances. "What are we doing here, Remus?"

"Checking something," he simply said before letting go of her hand and gave the password, "Fizzing Whizbee..."

At once, the gargoyle jerked to life and started winding upwards. Letting out a long breath, he stepped on to the stairs and beckoned to Claiborne to join him. The gargoyle wound upwards and the door to the Headmaster's office became visible. Remus's anxiety knew no bounds as he waited restlessly on his stair for the door to swing open.

With another jerk, the gargoyle came to a halt and Remus and Claiborne stood at the door, staring into the beautiful circular room. The room seemed deserted and quiet, save the occasional funny little noises coming from a number of curious silver instruments that stood on spindle-legged tables.

"Remus, there's no one here," said Claiborne and her voice echoed lightly through the walls.

But just as those words had slipped out of her mouth, a light cough from a far off place reached them. Remus froze and put a protective hand around Claiborne before inching towards the Headmaster's chamber at the far end of the circular room. Claiborne's eyes had widened with shock, but she followed Remus, completely undeterred. As the two of them approached the door, another cough was heard followed by some muffled voices at the other side of the door.

"...it's almost heart-breaking to see my old friend in this state."

"It's not like Albus is the type to _listen_... I've repeatedly asked him to stay out of trouble."

"That's not possible, Perenelle. Not when an entire community banks on _one person_ to protect them all..."

"If only we had the Philosopher's Stone right now, Nicholas... We could keep him alive until the war ends and give him the necessary healing attention..."

"No, my dear, I wouldn't have agreed to it in a million years," spoke a _third_ voice and Remus felt his blood freeze in his veins in shock. "Also, I have been here long enough to last me a _lifetime_." Remus could almost _see_ the serene smile on Dumbledore's face as he said those words. Still feeling completely speechless, he looked at Claiborne's red face and knew she was feeling the exact same way as well.

"Oh, I couldn't agree more," Nicholas responded. "I must say, you're quite the trickster, Albus. I don't know _how_ you're even able to keep a track of all the facts and the little details that could make or break a certain realm," Nicholas chuckled, clearly trying to keep Dumbledore distracted from all the pain and morbid thoughts.

"Does that make me dangerous, Nicholas?" Dumbledore asked, and Remus could sense a tinge of guilt in his tone. "Am I doing the wrong thing?"

"You couldn't even if you _wanted_ to, Albus..." came Nicholas's kind voice. "You're the only reason there's even so much hope in this world. However," said Nicholas and chuckled a little before adding. "You really do need to learn to mind your own business. You have a tendency to keep meddling with Time!"

"And almost _always_ sacrificing himself for the ' _greater good_ '! Whatever that means!" Perenelle scolded, making Dumbledore chuckle along too before coughing profusely.

Remus had had heard enough and his head as swimming with waves and waves of revelation. He couldn't stand there any longer and nervously raised his hand. A moment's hesitation later, he lightly knocked on the door making the room go silent almost instantly. Remus could almost feel the tension build inside the chamber, but nobody moved or said anything for a really long time.

Remus glanced at Claiborne one more time before knocking once again at the door. This time he could hear nervous shuffling from the other side of the door.

"Wh-Who's there?" Nicholas spoke, his voice almost shaking in fear.

"Lupin... Remus Lupin..."

The room went silent again before Dumbledore himself spoke. "Come in, dear boy."

Remus's heart was pounding in his chest now. Taking Claiborne's hand in his, he slowly pushed the door open and went in. It was dimly lit, but felt warm and cozy with candles peppered all over the room. The walls were beautifully decorated with intricate red and gold designs all over it. Right in front of Remus and Claiborne stood a terrified-looking Nicholas and his wife, Perenelle, shakily pointing their wands at them.

Remus, however, seemed most unperturbed and simply stared down at the map once again. The dot that stood at the centre of room where an elaborate bed lay was titled, ' _Albus Dumbledore_.'


	55. The Roar of Silence

**A/N: The story will be coming to an end very soon. Almost in it's last leg... Thank you all for sticking by me and this story for so long. I couldn't have done it without you all. Love to you from half-way across the world...**

 **Disclaimer:** Please note that this story was started in Sep of 2016 and has adopted concepts over time from recent releases (Fantastic Beasts - The Movie). Also, this chapter gets published in Oct of 2018, a month earlier than when FB 2 releases here, and hence, all canonical elements that the movie displays may not match with the content here. Hence, please don't hate on me or this story.

 **P.S. Not edited yet...**

* * *

 **Chapter 55: The Roar of Silence**

* * *

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
HOSPITAL WING, HOGWARTS  
08:01 AM

The sun was finally starting to show through the thick blanket of puffy clouds that hovered above them. A sudden calm seemed to have descended upon the castle; the kind of tranquility that follows a great tragedy. Everyone spoke in hushed voices and moved around frantically, tending to one emergency after another. No one knew why the battle had suddenly come to a stop, or why all of Voldemort's army had retreated back into the forest out of the blue, but no one seemed to complain; everyone, _including the Death Eaters_ , needed to catch a break anyway...

The Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw Houses had fought valiantly against the Dark forces, be it stray Death Eaters or a whole horde of werewolves and vampires, resulting in very few casualties and deaths. But the same could not be told of Hufflepuff. The House was in mourning following the death of their great ancestor and a majority of them _refused_ to fight back. In Professor McGonagall's own words, she described the sight as, "ghastly beyond expression." However, for the time being at least, peace prevailed in the castle.

And for the last two hours, Isabella along with a few of her other friends and fellow-students had devoted their energies to finding and healing all war victims before it was too late. Looking out the window of the Hospital Wing while administering a burns potion on to a little girl's arm at the same time, Isabella noticed more than half of the beasts that Voldemort had brought to war remained as carcasses on the castle grounds now, and a stab of pity scoured through her heart. Only two of the five dragons were still alive now and, both of them seemed to happily flit above Hagrid, their eyes bearing sheer innocence as opposed to the pain and viciousness they carried several hours ago.

"Such gentle creatures..." she said, and looked at Lily's tired face next to her. Smiling sadly, Lily put an arm around her best friend and the two of them mutely stared at the massacre in front of them. Never before, in the last five hundred and eighty years, had the Wizarding World seen so much bloodshed. It was so appalling that, every magical newspaper across the world was reporting about it. Isabella heard that the Government of the Muggle world had been intimated too and that, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom had also offered to send 'help' in the form of missiles and guns that the Magical community respectfully declined... _What were_ guns _in front of a wand?_ she thought bitterly.

Someone waved their arm at her from the distance that brought her attention back to the window and found that it was Clarissa Goody, her former Quidditch teammate, waving frantically at her and Lily to come help with a couple of more victims who'd been injured in the battle. "Let's go," she said to Lily and the two of them raced outside the Hospital Wing and through the great double-doors into the chilly morning, as alert as a chamois.

Clarrisa, along with three other students, Mason Hughes, Harrison Highwalker and Evelyn Aelfwynd, huffed and puffed towards them with two people on stretchers. "This one has broken all of his bones in his right leg..." said Clarissa, almost out of breath. "Perhaps a strong _Brackium Emendo_?" she said pointing at the first man, who looked like he was an Auror. "And this one, I doubt will survive..." she said handing over the second stretcher with a young boy who seemed to be missing huge chunks of flesh from his neck, arms and feet. "Vampires..."

"Thank you, Goody, we got this!" said Lily while she and Isabella levitated both the stretchers and started racing back towards the Hospital Wing. "I just want to know if You-Know-Who thinks it was all worth it after all this!" Lily fumed through gritted teeth. "How can one feel OKAY about taking over a world where practically everyone _hates_ him?!"

"Dunno..." Isabella huffed back and dashed into the castle once again. "Incoming!" she yelled and took the vampire-bite case straight to the end of the hall where the critical cases where being treated while Lily hung back and got ready to perform the broken-bones charm. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she quickly got down to wiping and cleaning his wounds with her wand and muttering incantations under her breath to slowly start stitching his skin back around his chest. Her concentration wavered, however, as exhaustion and sleep took over. Blinking awake, she continued to heal him, staggering just a little every now and then.

"Alright there, Miss Williams?" said a kind voice from behind her.

She mutely nodded at Madam Pomfrey and powered through like she was feeling nothing. Smiling at her dedication, Pomfrey lightly placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "You have been up for more than twenty-four hours now, Miss Williams. Appreciate all the help here, but I must insist that you take a break and come back later..."

"No, no, no, I'm perfectly alright, Madam Pomfrey!" Isabella protested, but she Pomfrey shook her head firmly and kindly shoo'd her. Sighing indignantly, she walked back to where Lily was and plopped down into a chair next to her.

"Oh, come on, wipe that scowl off of your face, you've done so much here already," Lily said, smiling at her friend's pout. "For the amount that you've seen and been through in the last four days, it's a miracle you're still strutting about these hallways! Merlin, I'd do anything to have a life like yours," she said, trying to sound as cheerful despite the grim sight around them.

"I still don't recommend breaking up with someone and getting engaged to the same person in _under_ four days, though," Isabella offered, making Lily snort in response.

"I'm just glad he feels so strongly for you and still wants you back," she gushed quietly, still working on mending the Auror's bones. "Speaking of, care to elaborate on what happened in the last two odd hours...?"

She sighed and rubbed her tired eyes before she spoke again. "So, basically... from what Voldemort told me... _personally..._ " she said, opening her eyes wide in pretend-bafflement, "that image I saw of myself in the mirror is who I really am. It's who I will always be, because apparently, my Slytherin ancestors have cast a very powerful and strong spell on their bloodline that would ensure that their descendants would never waver from their 'purpose.' It's also another reason why I was drawn towards Lucius, perhaps. A pureblood connection leaning towards the Dark Side excites me, because _that_ is one of Slytherin's biggest beliefs. But what separates me and Angela from Voldemort is the fact that, I come from a long line of ancestors who were brought up under the _Gryffindor_ banner, so all of Gryffindor's values run deep in our bones as well. It's like I have split-personality," she rolled her eyes.

"Gryffindor _never_ had an heir..." Lily muttered, absent-mindedly, still feeling a little blown away by this piece of information.

"Also, I reckon we somehow managed to weaken Voldemort, which is why, the Dark forces have retreated... When my spell clashed against Sirius's, it caused a massive explosion and Sirius thought he saw the Stone crack... Voldemort was controlling his army entirely through the Stone, but I think that connection has finally snapped! The war now depends solely on the Death Eaters' loyalty to their Master and nothing else."

"We can beat _that_ ," Lily spat out through gritted teeth.

Isabella merely nodded and remembered another crucial detail. She suddenly felt too sick in the stomach to even relive that moment. "I would've _killed_ Bellatrix if not for Sirius, Lily," Isabella whispered, shuddering in fear. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... She may be the biggest _bitch_ I'll ever meet but even she doesn't deserve to _die_ ," she said, feeling her eyes prickle around the corners once again. "I don't what came over me. I'm such a freak..."

"I don't deny that, you really are, but for a _whole other reason_! All of us were FREAKED out when we heard that you were in the forest with _You-Know-Who_! Especially since the message came from _Peeves_! James didn't even know if it was legit and almost stopped Sirius from going! Why didn't you just come up to the tower like Moody had asked us to?"

"I am just reckless that way, I reckon," she replied off-handedly. "I don't think AT ALL when it comes to protecting the people I love and often times end up doing the stupidest thing ever! I dunno, it's like a _disease_..." As an afterthought she added, "Good luck, Sirius, eh?" she said, smiling apologetically.

"You can say that again! I have _great_ respect for him now!" Lily teased. "Anyway, tell me about the proposal," she said, smiling eagerly at her.

Isabella blushed a little. "Well, let's just say it was the most UNROMANTIC engagement in the _history of engagements_ ," she laughed and rolled her eyes. "I mean, one second we were yelling at each other and the next, we simply _stated the_ _obvious_ and the bam! Just _randomly..._ " she said, shaking her head at the memory.

Lily was beaming with happiness next to her too. "You know, ironically, you calling it ' _UNromantic_ ' is really what makes it so bloody romantic! Just goes to show how much you two mean to each other, that... you two don't even need grand gestures to tell the other how much you love them."

"I'm really not sure about that, actually," replied Isabella truthfully. "I'm still not sure if he asked me to marry him only because, it was probably one of the _only_ ways for me to cut off all ties to my blood lineage and stop me from unleashing my _third-eye of destruction_ or if he really still does love me."

"Come on, Sirius?! Merlin, he's been in love with you since fourth-year!" she exclaimed, making Isabella gape in total surprise.

"What?!"

Lily giggled sheepishly and wagged her eyebrows excitedly. "Yeah, I caught him staring at you one afternoon and nagged the hell out of him until he confessed," she said, laughing a little. "Apparently, you're the 'only girl that gets his thingy _going_ '!" she guffawed before quickly adding, "HIS words, not mine!"

Isabella looked a little green in the face at first but burst out laughing all the same too.

"I worry for you, Evans. You're starting to sound a LOT like James, lately," Isabella huffed apologetically. "I still can't believe you didn't tell me, though!" she chided, giving Lily a light slap on the hand.

"I couldn't! He made me swear on my Potions textbook!" she appealed, making Isabella roll her eyes at her. "Anyway, he didn't tell you because, one, he thought you'd never like him that way and, two, he couldn't jeopardise your friendship..."

"...And three, because he had a reputation to maintain," Isabella shot back which made Lily merely roll her eyes.

"Oh, come on, so he was young and stupid, we've all done things we regret _now_! Poor thing was so _torn_ that he even wrote to your _mother_ seeking advice!" she said, smiling fondly at the memory. Isabella suddenly found it difficult to breathe. "And just so you know... she approves entirely..."

"Well, I can count on you to keep a _secret_ , Merlin's beard!" she said, trying to wave it off casually despite the painful lump that was forming in her throat at the thought of her mother. Sighing, she closed her eyes for just a little bit.

It felt nice to finally be able to talk about normal things without having to constantly deal with one crisis after another. Only then did she realise just how much she missed being with Lily and the girls and being able to chat away about things that weren't always ' _testosterone-friendly_!'

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
08:01 AM

"What does he want us to wait for?" Hermione whispered worriedly.

"I dunno, Hermione, but I somehow feel we should listen to him," replied Harry and looked down at the parchment in his hand one more time.

' _Harry,_

 _Do not strike till you hear back from me. The time is not right._

 _Save as many captives as possible in the meanwhile._

 _\- Ron_ '

"He chooses the worst time ever to play hide-and-seek!" she said through gritted teeth. "If I ever see him..."

"You'll cry first and then give him hell, I know," Harry smiled. They were sitting in one of the deserted rooms behind the Great Hall where a small council had formed following The Pause. Pulling it apart even more, he sent one of George's Extendable Ears further through the gap in the door to be able to listen better.

The four long House tables had been removed and was replaced by a single large, circular one that could seat over thirty people. The new Minister for Magic by default, Harold Minchum, along with other important Ministry Officials, professors of Hogwarts and some of the main members of the Order of the Phoenix sat at the table while the rest of the Aurors, students and a few Centaurs stood along the walls of the Great Hall, watching the proceedings. Dumbledore sat in one of the high-backed chairs, looking grimmer than ever.

"...the death toll in this school is appalling! Pardon me, Dumbledore, the Ministry is very grateful that the war had been contained within the four walls of Hogwarts and you have put up a brilliant defense, but this has to stop! We cannot let the magical community think that we would consider putting young children's _lives_ at risk to win this war! I wouldn't allow another student to die, not today, not ever!"

"With all due respect, sir, I believe it's a little too late in the day to pass that motion?" Bones said through gritted teeth.

"Come now, Amelia, the administration under Bagnold's authority will _not_ be the same under Mr Minchum," offered Mormonte, making her grudgingly nod her head and sit back.

Clearing his throat and moving on as if nothing had happened, Minchum continued. "So, then, can someone come up with a plan in place to achieve that? A negotiation with You-Know-Who, perhaps?"

"That is out of the question, Minister," replied Bones. "He's not here to negotiate, we all know that."

"Not so fast, Amelia, he originally came here looking for the founders' heirlooms. They are _old_ artifacts with not much magical value, and I propose to use that as a tool to form an agreement with him when he's his weakest self! It could get him to stop finally stop unleashing terror on the community," offered a very stupid Mormonte.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Do you know what he intends to do with the artifacts, Lorcan?" he asked, sporting an even expression on his face. "Surely, he did not wreak havoc today because he wanted to fill up his _collector's shelf_?" Several people around the table smirked a bit.

"No, I didn't think so too," Dumbledore continued, looking uncharacteristically grim. "I have known Tom a long while now and I know this for sure: that his thirst for power is unlike any other we've ever seen and he's not one to give up no matter how badly injured or weak he may be. We cannot stop fighting until we've destroyed him mind, body and soul! My dear friend, Firenze, here," he said, leaning back in his chair a bit to summon the centaur to the table, "has very good excuse to think that Tom's power may be diminished forever because of the way he used the Philosopher's Stone."

"Or the ' _Haden Heirloom_ ' as it is also called," Firenze offered, walking up to the large table. "Fashioned by the ancient clan of Hadens, the Stone's true power and its full potential remains unknown to wizardkind to this day. The Stone, in fact, is believed to be just a _fragment_ of a giant red sphere known as the 'Véros Exousíara' that was painstakingly built by the Great King of Kings, Leonidas Haden many thousand years ago. It was believed to be the single, most powerful object to ever grace the earth and, the Hadens became the most powerful force at the time!

"Word spreads fast, however, and the kingdom of Hadensland was attacked by neighbouring kingdoms from all corners and most of the Stone got destroyed. One last piece remained, however, and the Hadens secretly managed to protect this little shard of Stone and passed it on to their daughters for safe-keeping after their time. The Stone provides several powers to the user but, if exploited for the wrong reasons, can unbind the curse that it encases, causing irreversible damage to the user."

"So, Voldemort originally wanted to march towards Hogwarts," Dumbledore took over, "only to find the founders' heirlooms and, later, use them as instruments in which he can conceal parts of his soul and become immortal."

"How does one do that?" asked Griselda Marchbanks, an Auror of the Ministry.

"By tearing one's soul, like a rip in a gown... And that is achieved by killing someone," he explained, stirring a loud murmur of shock across the room. "However, when Bellatrix presented him with the Philosopher's Stone," he continued, "Tom's greed for power doubled and he wanted to exploit every last bit of untapped power that little Stone could offer. And, because the user embodies the power from the Stone entirely, when it cracked from the impact of the two spells, it seems to have immediately solidified his soul like a glass, making it _impossible_ for him to tear it. Thus, he is now, a mere mortal, albeit with _incomparable_ wand skills, but definitely defeatable all the same!"

"Hear! Hear!" yelled John Dawlish and a roar of applause and cheers went up in the Great Hall as he said those words.

"So, then, tell me, Dumbledore," started Madam Edgecomb, "what need be our strategy? As the Minister stated, we are not, furthermore, going to encourage the participation of underage witches and wizards in this madness. Whatever needs to be done will, going forward, be entirely the Ministry's responsibility!" she said, a bit more firmly when she realised the reporter called Daisy Ogden was scratching away frantically on her parchment.

"I couldn't agree more!" chimed in Molly Weasley, who looked particularly pale owing to the hospitalization of her husband.

Dumbledore nodded but still looked a little peoccupied. "This war will end today," he said with finality, making them all look questioningly at him, "and I will be the only participant from the Light side!" he declared. "I shall invite Tom for a battle and settle this before dusk."

"But..." started Pius Thicknesse, "is that... wise?"

"It's the only way," he replied. "Knowing Tom this long, I do not think he will resort to foul-play when personally invited to a challenge, but there's no telling with a madman and hence, I would suggest that we maintain _high_ vigilance inside the castle and be prepared to strike back at the drop of a hat in case of an unsolicited attack."

"The Auror force has already been deployed and will follow orders under my leadership, sir," said Marchbanks, in her most Auror-voice.

"But, when do we strike?" asked Minchum, looking worried beyond measure.

"When the time is right," came Dumbledore's matter-of-factly response.

"But, how do we know that the time, indeed, _is right_?!" Minchum pressed on, looking a little flustered.

"When the phoenix arrives," replied Firenze, sounding mystical, as if he had just seen a little ahead in the future. "Anytime now," he smiled.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, HOGWARTS  
08:01 AM

It felt like the inside of a graveyard where Voldemort lay, barely breathing, the red stone still hanging precariously around his neck. It evident how much Voldemort valued this sacred Stone, because, despite being aware of the fact that it was practically useless now, he was still not willing to accept it just yet. He could not come to terms with the fact that the most powerful object in the magical world was, indeed, destroyed... Was it really that fragile...? Because, just like that, in the blink of eye, all of his plans had come crumbling down like a pack of cards... The Stone was going to make him immortal and _all-powerful_ and, if that wasn't enough, he would always going to be able to rely on his Horcruxes, but no... Now, even that was not going to be possible...

The fear that reeked on the faces of his supporters somehow seemed to make the forest seem darker than usual.

"There is one way to avenge them all, my Lord," someone spoke, their voice cutting through the silence like ice. His eyes flew open and looked straight at Severus's calm face. "One _very_ satisfying way to get back at your distant cousin... A method that was once explored by the great Grindelwald himself..." he said, almost sneering a little. "A method that is bound to get the attention of all wizard-kind once more..."

A moment's silence prevailed, allowing the tension to build up in the little enclave. "What way is that...?" It was barely a whisper, but one of the most ominous things he had ever heard in his life.

"Taming an Obscurial..." he said, allowing the words to slither out of his mouth like silk.

"How powerful...?"

"Enough..." he replied, his eyes brimming with malice, and roughly pushed a thirteen-year-old girl to the centre of the forest floor for the Lord to see. "Fierce as fire and wild as the wind, her Obscurus is by far, the most terrifying thing you shall ever see, my Lord..."

Voldemort's snake-like eyes narrowed as his eyes fell on the terrified face of little Angela. "The girl who escaped death at Grimmauld Place..."

"No, my Lord. The muggle-born, _thirteen-year-old_ _Obscurial_ who managed to cheat Death himself..." he corrected, pointing at Voldemort. "How did she possibly achieve that? Without a wand and without even the slightest bit of magical knowledge...? Ever wondered how that was possible?"

A dead silence followed that question.

"What could possibly make an ordinary little girl this powerful if not for her _ancestral blood_... _Your_ blood, my Lord... She is Isabella's sister and _another_ _Slytherin_ _BY BIRTH_!" he roared, his face cracking into a sinister smile. All around, everyone looked too gobsmacked for words. "She is _our_ secret weapon, my Lord... All yours to exploit..." he gushed, smiling manically. Dread descended on Angela's face while Voldemort's face lit up.

"LIAR!" yelled Dolohov from the back. "He's lying, my Lord! This is a trick! He's tricking us all into thinking he's on our side, when he's really not! All of us here fought in the battle and put our lives on the line when he was NOWHERE to be seen, and... he... he..." he stopped in mid-sentence when he noticed Severus break into laughter. He was laughing, but his eyes seemed burn with rage.

"Always works," he spoke, wiping the tears off of his face as he did. "My Lord, I believe in making in calculated moves that fetches me results than to blindly join the bandwagon and scream my support to you... I am no ordinary loyalist that will often fail you like more half of the Death Eaters here would. I am what you need for you take over what is rightfully _yours_ , my Lord. And I pledge my life to you for _eternity_... They do not deserve to win this war and I'm going to make sure of it!" he yelled, vengeance and spite oozing from his eyes.

Voldemort seemed impressed. "What's your plan for me, Severus...?" he hissed, rising up a little.

" _Deception_... You shall disguise yourself as someone else, someone that _no one_ would think to suspect. You shall enter the castle with me by your side... You shall seek the impostor and, as your first target, take down the fake Dumbledore while I take care of the real one. The school will immediately descend into chaos, and that will be our cue. We move in and decimate them all when they least expect it..." he whispered, his face was shaking with rage and his thirst for revenge.

"What about the girl...?" asked Mulciber, eyeing her maliciously.

Severus simply shrugged. "We lure the Obscurus out of the stupid girl and get rid of her; it's the Obscurus we're interested in... She's useless without her power," he said, without mincing words. He turned back to Voldemort. "Nothing shall stop you from this point on, my Lord..." he declared, his voice dripping with venom.

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
FIRST FLOOR, HOGWARTS  
08:01 AM

"Nobody here!" he called out and shut the door behind him. Dragging himself along the corridor, Sirius felt his eyes close on their own accord, but he shook awake; he could not give in to exhaustion, not now! He had to find Regulus and Angela somehow—if they're both still alive, that is... Dread crept up his body at the mere thought! Regulus may have been a complete arse all his life, but he'll always be his brother; he'll ALWAYS be Sirius's responsibility...

"Nobody here too!" came a voice from afar. "Mate, listen up! I'm going to cover the floors up while you look around here! Alright?" James called back and Sirius nodded in response. Swaying a little, he marched on, looking into one room after another. He wasn't going to lose hope, not now.

He banged open the door of the next classroom and his heart skipped a beat! He wasn't sure if he should feel happy or scared at the fact that Regulus was lying motionless on the floor, with blood all around him. The accelerated heart rate almost made him giddy as he slowly approached the place where Regulus lay.

"Regulus?" he muttered.

A strained cry reached Sirius and a smile broke out on his face instantly. Rushing forwards, he waved his wand and lifted the Full-Body Bind Curse in the blink of an eye, still feeling dizzy with happiness. "You're alive!" he gushed, quite unable to contain the grin and knelt down next to him. Regulus had clearly been in a LOT of pain that Sirius could not even fathom. Gulping down the lump that was forming in his throat, he grabbed hold of his brother hoisted him, so he could sit up.

"How are you? Merlin's beard, I can't believe you endured all that pain for so long and still managed to stay alive!" he exclaimed, quickly cleaning up all the blood from his nose and hands. "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing, come on!" he said, and threw Regulus's right arm around his shoulder to lift him up.

"Sirius..." he muttered, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Yeah?" Sirius asked absent-mindedly even as he led him to the door.

"I have to kill you..."

Sirius stopped dead in his tracks and slowly swung around to look at the helpless face of Regulus. "Dark Lord's orders..."

 **DAY 6:** DECEMBER 26, 1976  
THE GREAT HALL, HOGWARTS  
08:47 AM

Harry and Hermione was listening in on intently as the combat strategy slowly took shape in the Great Hall. All the Aurors and a few more delegates from other countries had been summoned to be on the task-force team that would safeguard the students at Hogwarts for as long as Voldemort sets camp in the forest. It was also decided that all food supplies and essentials will be sourced from Hogsmeade via the secret passageways that lead out of the school and that, all entry into the school premises will be blocked until further notice. Dumbledore also suggested that all parents of students stuck inside the school be given accommodation at Hogsmeade until the end of war.

Right around the time when Nigellus revisited the topic of taking help from the Muggle police-force, however, the conference was interrupted by a sudden low and beautiful cry of a bird that sounded all around them. Most of the people at the round table did not seem to take notice or find a particular interest in it, but Dumbledore definitely looked stirred; and so did Firenze.

His eyes lit up as he said, "The Phoenix. It's here."


End file.
